cravat in John's room before the ceremony, "you've just
got to stand up straighter. Here lately, when you are with Tilly, you
hump yourself over, or sag down with one leg crooked like you was
ashamed of being tall. If there is a time in a fellow's life when he
ought to stand straight and look folks square in the eyes it is when
he's having the cheek to take to himself a sweet young bride. Stand up,
throw your shoulders back, and let them all know that you've got a job
before you and that you are going to do your level best to put it
through."

"Give me a danger-sign if you see me making any breaks," John smiled. "I
do feel shaky and weak-kneed and I might have folded up like a
pocket-rule if you hadn't cautioned me."

John went down and mingled with the guests before Tilly joined them. He
was near the door when Martha Jane Eperson came in, accompanied by her
mother, who went at once to a seat proffered by Cavanaugh, leaving her
daughter with John, to whom she had barely nodded.

"You must excuse my mother," Martha Jane said, plaintively, as she shook
hands with John. "She is very unhappy over the way Joel is taking it. He
simply could not come to-night."

"I understand, and I am awfully sorry," John contrived to say.

"Oh, but you can't understand, Mr. Trott," the girl protested. "You
don't know my poor, dear brother as we do. This thing is actually
killing him. He is a mere shadow of his old self. You see, he and Tilly
were very dear to each other until you came. I don't blame Tilly; my
mother doesn't, either. She has the right to decide for herself; but
poor Joel! He simply allowed himself to love Tilly all along till this
thing came like death itself, or worse. He is very manly about it,
though. Don't understand me otherwise. I think he intended to come
to-night till almost the last minute, and then decided not to do it. I
watched him through the window as he hitched the horse to the buggy for
us, and I broke down and cried."

Some others were entering, and Martha Jane, with a little parting nod,
moved on to a place by her mother's side. As for John, he could not give
much thought to his defeated rival, for a commotion in the room
indicated that the bride was descending the steps. She did not, however,
come into the parlor just then, but turned into the sitting-room
opposite.

"Come"--Cavanaugh came and touched John on the arm--"the preacher is in
there with Tilly. He may want to give you both a few lessons o