“Not for a good half-hour; not till every one had grown nervous and Miss Tuttle and one or two of her most intimate friends had gone more than once to her door; not, in fact, till the hour for the ceremony had come and gone and Mr. Jeffrey had crossed the hall twice under the impression that she was ready for him. Then, when weariness was general and people were asking what kept the bride and how much longer they were to be kept waiting, her door suddenly opened and I caught a glimpse of her face and heard her ask at last for her maid. O, I repeat that Veronica Moore was not all right that day, and though I have heard no one comment on the fact, it has been a mystery to me ever since why she gave that sudden recoil when Francis Jeffrey took her hand after the benediction. It was not timidity, nor was it fear, for she did not know till a minute afterward what had happened in the house. Did some sudden realization of what she had done in marrying a man whom she herself declared she did not love come when it was too late? What do you think?” Miss Freeman had forgotten herself; but the impetuosity which had led her into asking my opinion made her forget in another moment that she had done so. And when in my turn I propounded a question and inquired whether she ever again saw the boy who besieged the bride’s door with a message, she graciously replied: “The boy; let me see. Yes, I saw him twice; once in a back hall talking earnestly to Mr. Jeffrey, and secondly at the carriage door just before the bridal party rode away. It was Mrs. Jeffrey who was talking to him then, and I wondered to see him look so pleased when everybody in and about the house was pale as ashes.” “Do you know the name of that boy?” I carelessly inquired. “His name? O no. He is one of Raucher’s waiters; the curly-haired one. You see him everywhere; but I don’t know his name. Do you flatter yourself that he can tell you anything that other people don’t know? Why, if he knew the least thing that wasn’t in everybody’s mouth, you would have heard from him long ago. Those men are the greatest gossips in town”—I wonder what she thought of herself,—“and so proud to be of any importance.” This was true enough, though I did not admit it at the time; and when the interview was closed and I went away, I have no doubt she considered me quite the most heavy person she had ever met. But this did not disturb me. The little facts she had stated were new to me and, repeating my former method, I was already busy arranging them in my mind. Witness the result: 1. The ceremony of marriage between Francis Jeffrey and Veronica Moore was fully three-quarters of an hour late. 2. This was owing to the caprice of the bride, who would not have any one in the room with her, not even her maid.