“Old Andy and Jenny. Ay, poor souls! Well, Dick, you are here in a good hour. All our guests have failed us—groomsmen, and bridesmaids, and all, except little Annie Seymour. And so you must play groomsman, and lead Annie down.”
“I shall be very happy to do so, sir, if Alick desires it.”
“Oh, yes, he does. I heard that you were here, and so I looked in at Alick’s room and mentioned the matter to him. And he declared that he would be very much obliged if you would do him so much honor. So, you will see it is all right.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And here, Dick, is the license and the fee, both in this envelope, which it will be your duty as groomsman to hand to the officiating minister.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And, by the way, I hear wheels, and his carriage must be coming,” said the old gentleman, leaving the study to inquire.
Meanwhile, the bride elect had returned to her own room.
Drusilla still sat there in the easy chair, with her hands clasped upon her lap and her head bowed upon her breast.
Anna went and took a seat beside her, and said, with earnestness almost amounting to solemnity: