The bishop addressed a few earnest words to the couple before him, spoke of responsibilities and obligations, and then the formal questions of marriage, in distinct voice, were put to George and Gertrude.

Mr. and Mrs. George Ingram received hearty congratulations.  The guests retired to the banquet hall where breakfast was served.  One table with marguerites was reserved for bride and bridegroom, ushers, and bridesmaids.  Before the breakfast was ended the bride and bridegroom had escaped, but soon returned, the bride in a traveling gown of blue cloth.  Volleys of rice followed the bridal pair, and more rice pelted the windows of the coach as it drove to the express train which was to convey the happy pair to Fontainebleau for a day, and thence into Switzerland.  In the evening Colonel Harris entertained a large party of friends at the new opera house.  The Harrises next morning left for southern France.

Before the marriage day George and Gertrude had carefully provided in Paris for the welfare of May Ingram whom both loved.  And well they might, for May had a noble nature, and her music teachers in Boston, who had exerted their best efforts in her behalf, believed that she possessed rare talents, which, if properly developed, would some day make her conspicuous in the American galaxy of primadonnas.

They had secured for May sunny rooms at a pension in the Boulevard Haussmann, where a motherly French woman resided with her two daughters.  In beautiful Paris, May Ingram was to live and study, hoping to realize the dreams of her childhood, a first rank in grand opera.

CHAPTER XX

ABOARD THE YACHT “HALLENA”

Before leaving Paris Colonel Harris was solicitous that his son Alfonso should accompany him to Rome, and Leo urged the artistic advantage of a trip to Italy, but Alfonso had attractions in Holland of which the father knew not.  Leo, of course, had his suspicion, but did not wish to betray his friend, and so Alfonso returned to the Netherlands ostensibly to study art.

Before leaving New York it was frequently stated by Leo that when he reached Rome he hoped to be able to even up favors with Alfonso by a series of visits among his relatives, the famous Colonna family.  While Leo regretted seriously to lose this opportunity, he was quick to see that the change of plans would leave him much in Lucille’s company, the thing that gave him most pleasure.  Lucille before leaving Harrisville had a severe attack of the grip, and Mrs. Harris hoped the journey abroad would prove beneficial to her health.

The ocean voyage had brought the roses back to her cheeks, but the railway trips, the over-work of sight-seeing, and especially the excitement of the Paris wedding, had renewed frequent complaints of heart difficulty, and at night Lucille was restless and failed to secure satisfactory sleep.  Of course the mother was anxious, and was glad when the express arrived at Nice, on the Mediterranean.  Fortunately this was not the fashionable season, so quiet quarters were secured overlooking the terraced promenade, the small harbor open to the southeast, and the smooth sea beyond.  Here Mrs. Harris hoped that her daughter would speedily recover her health.