Sure enough, in the afternoon up drove Belinda.

“Awful glad to see you, Ann dear,” said she, kissing her.  “I’m dying to know all about it.  As soon as I found out where you were, I rushed out and hitched up the old mare myself.  But I knew she’d never go so far from home without an object in view to urge her.  So I fastened a bag of oats in front of her head.  Didn’t she just streak it?  The idea of her chasing them oats five miles before she caught ’em!  She’s out there now eating ’em, propped up by a couple of fence-rails.  But tell me, quick, are you really married, as you said you’d be in that letter you left on my wash-stand?”

“Yes, I am,” replied Ann.

“Where’s your husband?  Who is he?  Do tell me all about it.  Does he look like anybody I know?”

“Well, I should say he did.” answered Ann, grinning.  “You see it’s a sort of a joke, Belinda.  You wouldn’t see the point now, half as well as you will after you’re married to Archibald.  Then I’ll tell you.  Oh, it’s too rich!” And she laughed immoderately.

“Oh, I can’t wait.  Tell me now.  If you will, I’ll give you my new pique and that bracelet.  Come, why can’t you?”

“Because I don’t choose to,” replied Ann coolly.

“Seems to me you’re mighty short about it anyhow.  Putting on airs, ain’t you, because you got married before I did?”

“Well, you needn’t think nobody can get a fellow but you.  Pooh, I could cut you out, any time.”

“Oh, you could, could you?” returned BELINDA in high disdain.  “Perhaps you’d better try it on, with them freckles and that mole.  I don’t think your husband, whoever he is, can brag much of his taste in the female line.  I’m sure I don’t want to see him, so you can keep him locked up, you jealous thing.  It’s some old rowdy, I s’pose, that nobody else would look at.  I hate you, and always did.  Don’t never come near me.  There!” And she left in high dudgeon.

As she drove off, ANN stood by the window watching her.  She soliloquized, “So you think, Miss BELINDA, do you, ’that I’d better try it on, with them freckles and that mole!’ I think I have tried it on, and pretty effectually too.  Just wait till you’re married to BLINKSOP, that’s all.”

By dark she began to look impatiently for TEDDY, for she felt sure he’d find JEFFRY somewhere.  It was nine o’clock, however, before he made his appearance.

“Did you find him?” she inquired eagerly.

“I did, mum, sure, and a hard pull I had of it.  I beat the whole town through, and at last I found him a rollin’ bowly alleys, and I giv him your letther.  Sich dreadful swears as he giv, mum, a walkin’ up and down an’ a crushing his fingers like, and a bitin’ his teeth together, and then he stops in front of me, and says in an awful theatur voice, ’Tell her,’ says he, ‘that I’ll come,’ and he giv me a kick, mum, as boosted me clear to the sidewalk, and I see plainly as he had more remarks of that same kind to deliver, and I edged off at about five miles an hour.  Goodnight to ye, mum.”