"No excuses necessary, dear," he answered. "When I sent you word, I did n't expect to be able to get away till the last minute, but a telegram from a man who had an appointment with father let us out, and I followed my message home. I came after you because mother is getting a bit uneasy. She wants to be sure the bride is at her elbow, ready for the fray, though not a soul will show up, of course, till long after the hour on the cards."
"I 'll come this minute," and Jane caught up her long coat, threw a kiss at her family, and hurried down. "You 'll all come right away, won't you?" she called back, and let Murray walk off with her.
At the curb she paused. "I meant to have borrowed Nan's rubbers," she said, looking down at her white-shod feet. "I forgot when I came over."
"That's easy," and Murray had her across the street before she could protest that she was too heavy for him.
"You could n't have done that when I first knew you, could you?" laughed Jane, with pride in his strength of arm.
"Not much. What a slim and sickly whiffet I was! I wonder you ever looked twice at me, with Pete at hand as a contrast."
"I liked muscle, but I like brains too," explained Jane, as if this were the first time the matter had been made clear.
"Thank you. I 'm afraid I had none too many of those, either. The house looks festive, does n't it? Have you seen the dining-room? Mother seemed to be particularly pleased with the decorations there."
"I 'm afraid I ran away in too much of a hurry to notice."
Murray gave his young wife an amused look as they stood together on the steps of the small side entrance by which Jane had come out an hour before.