Sunday receptions were the most important minor functions in San
Francisco: it was possible that Dr. Talbot and his bride would be
there. And if he were not it might be long before curiosity would be
gratified by even a glance at the stranger; the doctor detested the
theatre and had engaged a suite at the Occidental Hotel with a private
dining-room.

Several weeks before a solemn conclave had been held at Mrs. McLane's
house in South Park. Mrs. Abbott was there and Mrs. Ballinger, both
second only to Mrs. McLane in social leadership; Mrs. Montgomery, Mrs.
Brannan, and other women whose power was rooted in the Fifties; Maria
and Sally Ballinger, Marguerite McLane, and Guadalupe Hathaway, whose
blue large talking Spanish eyes had made her the belle of many
seasons: all met to discuss the disquieting news of the marriage in
Boston of the most popular and fashionable doctor in San Francisco,
Howard Talbot. He had gone East for a vacation, and soon after had
sent them a bald announcement of his marriage to one Madeleine Chilton
of Boston.

Many high hopes had centered in Dr. Talbot. He was only forty,
good-looking, with exuberant spirits, and well on the road to fortune.
He had been surrounded in San Francisco by beautiful and vivacious
girls, but had always proclaimed himself a man's man, avowed he had
seen too much of babies and "blues," and should die an old bachelor.
Besides he loved them all; when he did not damn them roundly, which he
sometimes did to their secret delight.

And now he not only had affronted them by marrying some one he
probably never had seen before, but he had taken a Northern wife; he
had not even had the grace to go to his native South, if he must