Ralph’s parents were the cause of the hurried wedding. Spending the winter in China, it had been their intention to return home in the early spring in order to be present at the marriage of their son and Peggy Webster. However, a cable announcing his mother’s serious illness, had urged Ralph to sail for China as soon as possible. And he had the good fortune at the last moment to persuade Peggy not to force him to make the long journey alone. There was no opportunity for the purchase of wedding clothes, but Peggy was to spend several days in New York, where she could outfit herself for the journey. The wedding was to take place at high noon, with a clergyman from Saranac officiating. At exactly the moment of high noon, with the clock in the hall chiming twelve strokes, Peggy walked into the living-room on the arm of her father. Her brother, Dan, was best man and he and Ralph stood awaiting her. Afterwards the Sunrise Camp Fire girls formed a semicircle about the bride, wearing simple toilettes of white serge which had been intended for the Christmas dinner party. Peggy’s wedding dress was a white crepe de chine without trimming of any kind save an exquisite collar of Duchess lace, which Miss Patricia had unexpectedly produced as a wedding gift. Without a wedding veil Peggy looked as her family and friends were accustomed to seeing her at any time; her color never wavered, her dark eyes remained steadfast and untroubled, in fact she seemed less agitated than any one of the other Camp Fire girls. Not far away from the little group the Camp Fire guardian stood between her husband and Miss Patricia. Having solemnly promised Peggy not to break down, her lips were firmly closed, her face white with two bright spots of color in her cheeks, yet her blue eyes less brilliant than usual. Mrs. Webster cried softly during the ceremony, nevertheless, her lips continued to smile while her eyes were dim; her own marriage had proved so satisfying and, devoted to Ralph Merritt, she had the faith to believe that Peggy’s would be equally so. Mary Gilchrist, whose position was at one of the ends of the semi-circle, toward the close of the ceremony glanced toward the group of people who were slightly more in the background—Mr. and Mrs. Ashton, and Philip Stead with Elspeth and David Murray behind them and David Hale a few feet away. Beside the great fireplace Mrs. Burton was standing near Allan Drain, who always seemed to prefer her society to any other. She had on a soft gray chiffon dress over silk. In an irrelevant fashion it occurred to Gill that Mrs. Burton was rather too close to the open fire. The next instant the impression vanished as her interest in Peggy recurred. Yet the subconscious thought must have remained, for scarcely aware of her action a second time she turned her head to behold a little, light flame flare suddenly amid the folds of the soft material and spread with amazing rapidity.