"She was too much for ye?"

"Oh, _no_!" said Helen, condescendingly. "I'd made up my _mind_. I
arranged things with Mr. Bratt. He quite agreed with me. He took out a
licence at the registrar's, and one Saturday morning--it had to be a
Saturday, because I'm busy all the other days--I went out with mother to
buy the meat and things for Sunday's dinner, and I got her into the
registrar's office--and, well, there she was! Now, what do you think?"

"What?"

"Her last excuse was that she couldn't be married because she was
wearing her third-best hat. Don't you think it's awfully funny?"

"That's as may be," said James. "When was all this?"

"Just recently," Helen answered. "They sailed from Glasgow last Thursday
but two. And I'm expecting a letter by every post to say that they've
arrived safely."

"And Susan's left you to take care of yourself!"

"Now, please don't begin talking like mother," Helen said, frigidly.
"I've certainly got less to take care of now than I had. Mother quite
saw that. But what difficulty I had in getting her off, even after I'd
safely married her! I had to promise that if I felt lonely I'd go and
join them. But I shan't."

"You won't?"