Buck flung back a portière, and then out flitted four beautiful girls, who had been waiting for that moment.
Elsie was there, laughing with joy, her sweet face flushed, her blue eyes like the depths of a lake-mirrored sky. The girl with Elsie put her forward, and it was Elsie who murmured in Merry’s ear:
“Frank, we’re all so happy and so proud of you! Inza is the happiest and proudest!”
“Inza!” exclaimed Frank, in great surprise, for he had not dreamed of seeing her there, for she was in mourning for her father.
“Frank!”
He looked deep into her dark eyes, which gazed upon him in loving pride.
“This,” he said, restraining himself and steadying his voice, “is a pleasure that was entirely unexpected.”
He gave Elsie his other hand.
“We rather reckoned you’d be pleased,” said Badger. “But I don’t want you to forget that the former Miss Lee is now Mrs. Badger, and I’ll not permit you to look at her the way you’re looking at those young ladies.”
Frank flushed and laughed, turning to the handsome, brown-eyed girl at the side of the Westerner.