Over a rich, lustrous white satin skirt there had been artistically draped an overdress of lace of an exquisite pattern, its folds being caught in various places by masses of gleaming satin ribbons and delicate sprays of frosted silver, representing bleached ferns. The foundation of the corsage was low, but the filmy lace came up high in the neck, except where it sloped away at the front in a V revealing her beautiful neck, which was like ivory. There were no sleeves, save a fall of lace about a finger in width over the round shoulders, while her long gloves came a little above her elbows, revealing a portion of her perfect arm, around which just below the fall of lace, there was clasped a circlet of frosted gold set with diamonds. Her hair was arranged as she was in the habit of wearing it, but with great care, and fastened here and there with small crescents of diamonds. Around her neck there was a chain of curiously wrought gold, and suspended from this was a Greek cross set with diamonds as large as peas, while in each ear there gleamed a superb solitaire. Her eyes were brilliant, her cheeks delicately tinted, her scarlet lips just parted in a smile of anticipation, and she was a creature to make any man’s heart throb with delight, as she stood beneath the brilliantly lighted chandelier waiting to receive her husband’s verdict. “I never dreamed how beautiful you were, Salome, until this moment,” he breathed, as he bent forward and softly kissed her forehead. She threw her arms about his neck and laid her head upon his breast. His words of praise were very sweet to her. “My darling, you will crush your dress,” Dr. Winthrop exclaimed, in fond protest. “I do not care, now that you have seen me. I would not have had a fold disarranged before,” she said in reply. She had dressed more for him than for the crowd of brilliant people who were to throng Mrs. Tillinghast’s parlors, and he smiled as he realized how indifferent she was to all other praise. It was evidently her belief that “She’s adorned Amply that in her husband’s eye looks lovely— The truest mirror that an honest wife Can see her beauty in.” They were a little late, and the villa was thronged with guests when they arrived. Salome could not help feeling a pleasurable excitement in anticipation of mingling once more in society; still she dreaded the meeting with the Winthrops and Rochesters. After she had removed her wrap she stepped across the hall to a small reception-room, and sat down to wait until her husband should come to take her below. But Mr. Tillinghast had met his friend and found so much to say, that the minutes flew by unheeded, and though Salome did not mind the waiting, she wondered what could keep him.