“You’re are losing flesh, Gloriana,” said I, noting her sunken cheeks and glittering eyes.

“In a good cause,” she replied fervently.  “Anyways, ther ain’t a happier woman than me in the state of Californy!  Well, I’m most thro’ with my sewing, an’ I’d like ter show ye both what I’ve done, but——­”

“We’ve have been waiting for this, Gloriana,” said Ajax, tartly.  “As a member of the family you have not treated my brother and myself fairly.  This mysterious work of yours is not only wearing you to skin and bone, it is consuming us with curiosity.”

“Ye’re jokin’, Mr. Ajax.”

“This is no joking matter, Gloriana.”

She blushed, and glanced indecisively at two solemn faces.

“Ye’ve bin more ’n good ter me,” she said slowly, “but a secret is a secret till it’s told.  I hate ter tell my secret, an’—­an’ yer both young unmarried men.  It’s really embarrassin’.”

“Your secret is no secret,” said my brutal brother.  “Somebody, Gloriana, is about to get married—­eh?”

“Good land!  How did ye come ter guess that?”

“Uncle Jake has not said a word.”

“Well—­why should he?”

“He’s as close as a clam—­the old sinner.  So we can congratulate you, Gloriana?”

“Ye kin indeed.”

We shook hands, and she led the way to her own room.  There, spread upon her bed, lay some dainty garments, exquisitely fashioned,—­a regular trousseau!  Even to our inexperienced eyes the beauty of the workmanship was amazing.

“A woman,” she murmured, “likes ter look at sech things.  An’ I do think these air good enough.”

“Good enough!” we repeated.  “They’re fit for a queen.”

“An’ a queen is goin’ ter wear ’em,” said Gloriana proudly—­“a queen o’ beauty.”

We stared blankly at each other.  Had Cupid robbed his victim of her wits?

“They air fer Miss Miriam Standish, who was queen o’ beauty at the San Lorenzy carnival.  Miss Standish is the granddaughter of Doctor Standish.  Ye’ve heard o’ him—­of course?”

She glanced keenly at Ajax, who rose to the occasion with an alacrity that I trust the recording angel appreciated.

“Of course,” he said hastily.  “Doctor Standish is a man of mark; as a physician, he——­”

“He ain’t a physician,” said Gloriana.  “He’s a doctor o’ divinity—­a learned, godly man.”

“And his granddaughter is about to marry——­”

“Mr. Hubert Leadbetter.  I should say Professor Leadbetter, who keeps the biggest drug-store in town.”

We had bought drugs from the Professor, and were happily able to testify to his personal charms.  Gloriana beamed.

“Ther ain’t a finer young man in the land, Mr. Ajax:  he’s jest as good as his own sarsaparilla.”

“You are going to attend the wedding?” said I, thinking of the wonderful bonnet.

“If you please,” said Gloriana.  “I jest couldn’t stay away.  Why, I’ve made things fer Miriam Standish ever since she was born.  That is how I learned ter sew as few women kin sew.”