got this white veil on?--and orange blossoms! It's like a wedding. What
were they saying about a wedding? ... is it to be our wedding?"

"The wedding has already taken place, my dear Archie," interposed the
bridegroom, offering his arm to the bride, and smiling with no very good
grace. "This lady is now Mrs. Pennroyal. Stand aside, like a good boy--"

Archibald grasped Richard by the padded sleeve of his coat, and with an
angry movement of his powerful arm threw him backward into the embrace of
his new mother-in-law, who happened to be coming up from behind.

"You are under my father's roof, or I would tell you that you are a liar,"
said the young man, grimly. Then turning to the bride, who had said not a
word since this scene began, but had kept her eyes constantly fixed upon
the chief actor in it, "He shall not insult you again, my dear. But all
this is very strange. What does it mean?"

"It means.... It is too late!" replied the girl, in a low, bitter voice.
What could she have meant by that?

Richard, white with fury, came up again. There was a general murmur and
movement in the surrounding assemblage, who expected to see some deed of
violence committed.

"Mrs. Pennroyal," said he between his teeth, "I am obliged to request you
peremptorily to take my arm and--and leave this house where guests are
insulted and outraged!"

Archibald turned, his face darkening. But Kate held up her hand
entreatingly; and Archibald caught the gleam of the plain gold ring on her