ey had reached the solemn part of the service where Dr.
Ordway asked if there was anyone present who had any objection to the
wedding. One of the gentlemen coughed rather loudly, but no one said
anything and soon the ceremony was over and everyone was laughing and
talking and congratulating the happy pair.

Then for the first time Rollo had an opportunity to speak to Anabelle
and you may be sure he lost no time in gaining her side. They were
soon chatting merrily.

"Let's eat," said Rollo, for his father had instructed him that he
must be sure to get his luncheon at the wedding.

When they had regaled themselves with the lavish collation, they
joined the grown-up company who were dancing to the soft strains of
three saxophones and a bass drum.

"That was lovely," said Rollo politely when the dance ended,--"but do
you not think the party is getting a little rough?"

"So it is," agreed Anabelle. "Let us sit on the stairs, where we can
see without being seen."

"Yuppy," said Rollo, and soon they were comfortably seated just beyond
the landing with Anabelle quite close to Rollo and her brown eyes
looking up into his blue ones.

Now Rollo did not know it, but sitting on a stairway with a young lady
is an almost certain way of bringing about a proposal. Why this is we
do not know, but so it is, and so it has been since stairs were first
invented.

All things seemed to conspire to bring to the surface a declaration of
Rollo's great love for Anabelle. The wedding had stirred him deeply,
and Anabelle's beauty, the dancing, and now this quiet corner with the
sound of the saxophones softened by the distance.

His hands were very cold and his voice trembled slightly as he said,
with more originality than one would have expected--"Anabelle, I have
something to say to you."

"Yes," said Anabelle.

"Yes," repeated Rollo, "and this is what it is. I should like to marry
you, Anabelle. But for several reasons I may not be able to do so. My
worldly goods, to which Dr. Ordway referred, are of very little value,
and moreover, from something Jonas said to me this morning I fear I
may not be long for this world."

"Oh, Rollo," cried the little girl, and put her hand over his.

"But as I understand it," continued Rollo, "we must first be engaged,
and perhaps we should not take but one step at a time. Shall we be
engaged, Anabelle?"

"Let's," she answered.

"I regret," said Rollo, "that I have no engagement ring, but perhaps