And soon Sylvanus was seated at the table, sharing the morning meal of
his family.

"Now that my brother has joined us shall we leave for North End to-day,
grandfather?" inquired Cora, as they all arose from breakfast.

"No; nor need you make any suggestions of the sort. When I am ready to
go home, I will tell you. I have business to transact before I leave New
York," gruffly replied the family bear.

Rose Stillwater took up one of the morning papers and ran her eyes down
column after column, over page after page. Presently she came to the
item she was so anxiously looking for:

"The Very Reverend the Dean of Olivet left the city last evening by the
steamer Nighthawk for Boston."

With a sigh of relief she laid the paper down.

Mr. Rockharrt came and sat down beside her on the sofa, and began to
speak to her in a low voice.

Sylvan, sitting by Cora at the other end of the apartment, began to tell
all about the exercises at West Point which she had missed. His voice,
though not loud, was clear and lively, and quite drowned the sound of
Mr. Rockharrt and Mrs. Stillwater's words, which Cora could see were
earnest and important. At last Rose got up in some agitation and hurried
out of the room. Then old Aaron Rockharrt came up to the young people
and stood before them. There was something so ominous in his attitude
and expression that his two grandchildren looked dismayed even before he
spoke.

"Sir and madam," he said, addressing the young creatures as if they were
dignitaries of the church or state, "I have to inform you that I am
about to marry Mrs. Stillwater. The ceremony will be performed at the
church to-morrow noon. I shall expect you both to attend us there as
witnesses."

Saying which the Iron King arose and strode out of the room.

The sister and brother lifted their eyes, and might have stared each
other out of countenance in their silent, unutterable consternation.

Sylvan was the first to find his voice.

"Cora! It is an outrage! It is worse! It is an infamy!" he exclaimed, as
the blood rushed to his face and crimsoned it.

Cora said never a word, but burst into tears and sobbed aloud.

"Cora! don't cry! You have me now! Oh! the old man is certainly mad, and
ought to be looked after. Cora, darling, don't take it so to heart! At
his age, too; seventy-seven! He'll make himself the laughing stock of
the world! Oh, Cora, don't grieve so! It does not matter after all! Such
a disgrace to the fam