Hiram treated her
fortune as a mere nothing at all. If she, as had been her custom, headed
a subscription for some charity at St. Jude's, Hiram was sure to put
down his name for double the amount in close proximity to hers.

At last her spirit was completely broken by the persevering, unsparing,
flattering, cajoling, remorseless Hiram. So she stopped quarrelling, and
yielded. Then, how charming was our hero! Amiable, kind, desirous to
please, yet despotic to an extent: never yielding the power and
ascendency he had gained over her.

The great point now was to prevent any marriage settlement. Being
married, since Miss Thorne's property was all 'personal,' he could at
once possess himself of it. Prior to the engagement, Hiram had often
repeated that he would many no woman who maintained a separate estate.
And so much did he dwell on this that Miss Thorne was actually afraid to
speak to her solicitor on the subject.

In the summer succeeding the gay season we have spoken of, Hiram Meeker
and Arabella Thorne were united at St. Jude's by the Rev. Charles
Myrtle, in presence of 'the most aristocratic and fashionable concourse
ever assembled on such an occasion.' The Bennetts were present in great
profusion. Mrs. Myrtle, all smiles and tears, stood approvingly by. Mr.
Myrtle, so all declared, never performed the ceremony so well before.
Miss Innis had a conspicuous place in the proceedings, she being the
first of the four bridesmaids who attended Arabella to the altar.

I have never been able to explain her selection of one she had so feared
and hated as a rival, nor Miss Innis's acceptance. But there she stood,
very beautiful, and apparently much interested in what was going on.

* * * * *

After they had returned from their wedding tour, Hiram took possession
of his wife's securities. His heart throbbed with excitement and his
eyes glistened as he looked them over.

Mr. Bennett had fallen considerably short of the mark. Here were more
than two hundred and fifty thousand dollars!

Just then real estate had fallen to the extreme lowest point after the
collapse of the former high speculative prices. Hiram took immediate
advantage of this state of things. During the next three months he had
sold out his wife's securities, and invested two hundred thousand
dollars in vacant lots admirably situated in the upper part of the city.
The balance he put into his business.

From that period it di