her think I care.  If she can marry, so can I—­she isn’t the only girl in the world—­and when I heard what she had done, I vowed I’d offer myself to the first female I saw.  As good or bad luck would have it, ’twas Mabel, who you know said yes, of course, for I verily believe she likes me far better than I deserve.  What kind of a husband I shall make, the Lord only knows, but I’m in for it.  My word is passed, and the sooner you get us tied together the better, but for heaven’s sake, don’t go to making a great parade.  Mabel has no particular home.  She’s here now, and why not let the ceremony take place here.  But fix it to suit yourselves, only don’t let me hear you talking about it, for fear I’ll get sick of the whole thing.”

This was exactly what Mrs. Livingstone desired.  She had the day before been to Frankfort herself, learning from Mrs. Atkins of Mr. Wilbur’s marriage with the English girl.  She knew her son was deceived, and it was highly necessary that he should continue so.  She felt sure that neither her daughters, Mabel, nor ’Lena knew of Mr. Wilbur’s marriage, and she resolved they should not.  It was summer, and as many of their city friends had left Frankfort for places of fashionable resort, they received but few calls; and by keeping them at home until the wedding was over, she trusted that all would be safe in that quarter.  Durward, too, was fortunately absent, so she only had to deal with Mabel and John Jr.  The first of these she approached very carefully, casually telling her of Mr. Wilbur’s marriage, and then hastily adding, “But pray don’t speak of it to any one, as there are special reasons why it should not at present be discussed.  Sometime I may tell you the reason.”

Mabel wondered why so small a matter should be a secret, but Mrs. Livingstone had requested her to keep silence and that was a sufficient reason why she should do so.  The next step was to win her consent for the ceremony to take place there, and in the course of three weeks, saying that it was her son’s wish.  But on this point she found more difficulty than she had anticipated, for Mabel shrank from being married at the house of his father.

“It didn’t look right,” said she, “and she knew Mr. Douglass would not object to having it there.”

Mrs. Livingstone knew so, too, but there was too much danger in such an arrangement, and she replied, “Of course not, if you request it, but will it be quite proper for you to ask him to be at all that trouble when Nellie is gone, and there is no one at home to superintend?”

So after a time Mabel was convinced, thinking, though, how differently everything was turning out from what she expected.  Three weeks from that night was fixed upon for the bridal, to which but few were to be invited, for Mrs. Livingstone did not wish to call forth remark.

“Everything should be done quietly and in order,” she said, “and then, when autumn came, she would give a splendid party in honor of the bride.”