"I was very lonely, you know. Life had become very tame, and I saw nothing before me different from my daily experience, which had grown to be wearisome. Jim came and opened a new life to me, offered me companionship, new circumstances, new surroundings. It was like being born again. And, do you know, I don't think it is natural for a woman to carry her own life. I got very tired of mine, and when this strong man came, and was willing to take it up, and bear it for me as the greatest pleasure I could bestow upon him, what could I do--now, what could I do? I don't think I'm proud of him, but I belong to him, and I'm glad; and that's all there is about it;" and Miss Butterworth sprang to her feet as if she were about to leave the house. "You are not going," said Mrs. Snow, catching her by both shoulders, "so sit down." "I've told you the whole: there's nothing more. I suppose it will be a great wonder to the Sevenoaks people, and that they'll think I'm throwing myself away, but I do hope they will let me alone." "When are you to be married?" "In the spring." "Where?" "Oh! anywhere. No matter where. I haven't thought about that part of it." "Then you'll be married right here, in this house. You shall have a nice little wedding." "Oh! and orange-blossoms!" exclaimed Miss Snow, clapping her hands. "And a veil!" added Number Two. "And a--" Number Three was not so familiar with such occasions as to be able to supply another article, so she clapped her hands. They were all in a delicious flutter. It would be so nice to have a wedding in the house! It was a good sign. Did the young ladies think that it might break a sort of electric spell that hung over the parsonage, and result in a shower which would float them all off? Perhaps so. They were, at least, very happy about it. Then they all sat down again, to talk over the matter of clothes. Miss Butterworth did not wish to make herself ridiculous. "I've said a thousand times, if I ever said it once," she remarked, "that there's no fool like an old fool. Now, I don't want to hear any nonsense about orange-blossoms, or about a veil. If there's anything that I do despise above board, it's a bridal veil on an old maid. And I'm not going to have a lot of things made up that I can't use. I'm just going to have a snug, serviceable set of clothes, and in three days I'm going to look as if I'd been married ten years." "It seems to me," said Miss Snow, "that you ought to do something. I'm sure, if I were in your place, that I should want to do something." The other girls tittered. "Not that I ever expect to be in your place, or anything like it," she went on, "but it does seem to me as if something extra ought to be done--white kid gloves or something." "And white satin gaiters," suggested the youngest sister. "I guess you'd think Jim Fenton was extra enough if you knew him," said Miss Butterworth, laughing. "There's plenty that's extra, goodness knows! without buying anything."