grateful
that in making his happiness I may yet find my own."

She tried heartily to forget herself in others, unconscious that there
are times when the duty we owe ourselves is greater than that we owe to
them. In the atmosphere of cheerfulness that now surrounded her she
could not but be cheerful, and soon it would have been difficult to find
a more harmonious household than this. One little cloud alone remained
to mar the general sunshine. Mark was in a frenzy to be married, but had
set his heart on a double wedding, and Sylvia would not fix the time,
always pleading--

"Let me be quite sure of myself before I take this step, and do not
wait."

Matters stood thus till Mark, having prepared his honeymoon cottage, as
a relief to his impatience, found it so irresistible that he announced
his marriage for the first of August, and declared no human power should
change his purpose. Sylvia promised to think of it, but gave no decided
answer, for though she would hardly own it to herself she longed to
remain free till June was past. It came and went without a sign, and
July began before the longing died a sudden death, and she consented to
be married.

Mark and Jessie came in from the city one warm morning and found Sylvia
sitting idly in the hall. She left her preparations all to Prue, who
revelled in such things, and applied herself diligently to her lesson as
if afraid she might not learn it as she should. Half way up stairs Mark
turned and said, laughing--

"Sylvia, I saw Searle to-day,--one of the fellows whom we met on the
river last summer,--and he began to tell me something about Andre and
the splendid cousin, who is married and gone abroad it seems. I did not
hear much, for Jessie was waiting; but you remember the handsome Cubans
we saw at Christmas, don't you?"

"Yes, I remember."

"Well, I thought you'd like to know that the lad had gone home to
Cleopatra's wedding, so you cannot have him to dance at yours. Have you
forgotten how you waltzed that night?"

"No, I've not forgotten."

Mark went off to consult Prue, and Jessie began to display her purchases
before eyes that only saw a blur of shapes and colors, and expatiate
upon their beauties to ears that only heard the words--"The splendid
cousin is married and gone abroad."

"I should enjoy these pretty things a thousand times more if you would
please us all by being married when we are," sighed Jessie, looking at
her pearls.

"I will."

"What, r