Her husband looked at her thoughtfully, replying: “Ruby, I wonder if you could keep a secret.” “Yes, indeed, John. Only try me and see,” she replied, eagerly. Hesitating a moment, he continued: “Since you are so anxious over Desha, there is something you could tell him that would no doubt disgust him with the lovely coquette, if anything in the world could do it.” “Oh, what is it? Tell me quickly, John!” “I will tell you; but remember, Ruby, dear, that it must never go out of the keeping of yourself and Desha!” earnestly. CHAPTER XV. QUEEN OF SONG AND LOVE AND BEAUTY. Viola’s wedding-cards came out just ten days before the time appointed for the ceremony, creating an immense sensation, just as she had prophesied. Society was so surprised that it talked of nothing else for three whole days. On the same day she received one of Florian’s fond letters, begging her to write oftener and more kindly. She replied at once, saying that she had been too busy to write, and knew that he would excuse her when he received her next letter, in which she would have something important to tell him. In her dread lest Florian’s resentment of her treachery should lead him to betray her to Desha, she had finally resolved not to write to her jilted lover until the day after the wedding. “Philip will be my own then--no one can take him from me,” she thought, feverishly; for now and then a faint foreboding of evil made her heart quake with fear lest she should lose him yet by some untoward stroke of fate. It lacked but ten days to the wedding now, and lively preparations were going forward for a grand church ceremony, and afterward for a magnificent home reception before the happy pair started on their Southern tour. A splendid _trousseau_ was being prepared in New York, and arrived each day in detachments, taking up so much time in trying on that Viola scarcely had time to spare for her lover. At breakfast that morning Judge Van Lew said to his daughter and sister: “I have employed a young man to prepare some statistics for me from some valuable books in my library. He will come at about ten o’clock, and you will please see that he has uninterrupted use of the library, as it will take several days to do the task, and I am in a hurry for these statistics.” “Very well,” replied Mrs. Herman; adding carelessly: “What is his name?” “He is Rolfe Maxwell--a very interesting young man. Came to Washington recently to try to secure a pension for his mother, whom he is supporting by journalistic work. Unfortunately, he lost his position on a good New York daily, by a long spell of illness, and must now do anything that comes to hand until he can get more reporting to do. He was well recommended to me by a senator for whom he had done some work, and I was very glad to get him to do this job for me. You need not think he will be at all in the way, Edwina, as he will take his meals at home each day.”