had wished it to be and no smallest item of the
preparations had gone wrong. She stood by Roger's side, now and then
glancing up into his face with a smile of happiness and contentment.

The bridegroom looked proud and happy. He hadn't cared for so much
elaboration of entertainment, but Mona had wanted it, and so he
acquiesced in all particulars.

"When will it be all over and we can get away?" he whispered in her ear.

"Oh, not for hours," returned his new wife. "There's the feast, and
then the dancing,--I don't want to miss a bit of it! Why, Roger, this
is our wedding party."

"Yes, I gathered as much! All right, dearest, stay as long as you
like."

"It is a pretty wedding, isn't it, Roger? You like it, don't you?"
Mona looked suddenly troubled.

"Of course I do, darling. I like it better than any wedding I ever
attended! I've only seen one thing, though,--that's you. Are there
other people here?"

"Oh, a few! Three or four hundred, anyway. But where's Bill
Farnsworth? I haven't seen him yet."

"He came in late. I just caught sight of him a minute ago. Probably
he's trying to get through the crowd to us."

Which was just what Farnsworth was doing. He had arrived during the
ceremony, and had not yet made his way to the bridal party.

In fact, he was continually stopped in his progress by acquaintances
who greeted him and held him in conversation.

But at last he reached the bride.

"My dear Mona," he cried, "don't look so happy! You dazzle me!"

Mona beamed more joyously than ever, and Roger warmly welcomed
Farnsworth.

"Splendid affair," Bill went on. "Looks like Fairyland or some
enchanted garden. I was wafted in on the strains of the orchestra, and
I can scarcely hold myself down on terra firma. But I mustn't
monopolise the prince and princess of this magic realm. I'll try for a
few words, later, but now I must make way for the crowd behind me. Oh,
how do you do, Patty? How are you? You're looking splendid. And
Daisy! Well, it's good to see you again. By the way, Daisy, I saw Lou
Standish last week in Arizona. He sent greetings to you."

"Oh, did you, Bill? Did you see Lou? Tell me more about him."

Patty turned aside, her gaiety suddenly gone. What did Bill Farnsworth
mean by treating her like that? A blank stare from him would have
surprised her no more than those few careless words, flung at her
hastily, as if she were the merest acquaintance. She felt as if a