“Yes, those old friends of yours who came on with Judy and the Moseleys and are boarding somewhere down in the city while waiting for their steamer.” “Oh! yes, madam! You mean Samson Longman and Andrew Quin? They are with Michael at Markiss’ on Water Street. I do not know the number.” “That is not necessary. I am sending them invitations to the wedding and the breakfast; for though, of course, such a hasty affair as this is will not admit of much ceremony and elaboration, yet they must be present. There will be the Moseleys, the Stuarts, ourselves and your friends from Markiss’.” “I should tell you beforehand that those friends of mine come from a mining camp, and though good and true as men can be, they are rough and plain.” “Well, my dear boy, I have told you who is coming, and so you may know that these friends will meet no one in our house who will be so silly as to look down upon them for being rough and plain. Really, Ran, dear, it ought not to be necessary for me to say this,” concluded the lady. For all answer, Randolph Hay went to her side, raised her hand and pressed it to his lips with reverential tenderness. Judy looked up in her face with eyes full of tears and murmured: “The Lord in heaven bless you, sweet and lovely lady!” Mrs. Walling smiled deprecatingly at this effusiveness and patted Judy gently on the head. Then she turned to her writing-desk and wrote her informal notes. These were the only invitations the lady had written. The few others to the members of the two families more immediately concerned had been verbal ones. When she had finished directing the envelopes she handed them over to Ran, saying: “The letter box is directly on your way home; will you mind dropping them in?” “I will take charge of them with pleasure,” said Ran, and as the hour was late he arose, said good-night and left the house. But Ran did not drop the notes in a letter box. He walked over to Sixth Avenue, hailed a car, boarded it and rode down as far as that car would take him, then got out and walked to Markiss’; for he was anxious that his friends should get their bids as soon as possible. He found Mike, Longman, and Dandy all sitting smoking in the grimy back parlor behind Markiss’ bar. He entered and sat down among them. There happened to be no other guests in the room. “Well, boys, did you think I had forgotten you?” inquired Ran, really remorseful for not having sought them out before. “If we did we excused you, under the circumstances,” replied Longman, speaking for the rest. “I suppose Mike has told you that I am to marry his sister on Saturday morning—that is, the day after to-morrow?” “Oh, ay! trust Mike for that!” cried old Dandy with a little giggle. “Well, I have come to-night to bring you invitations to be present at the ceremony in the church and afterward at the breakfast at the house. And, boys, you must be sure to come.”