“Then we will go to the rectory of All Souls’ Church; it is only about two blocks from here. Doctor Meade is a friend of mine, and will make no difficulty about performing the ceremony. Then we will write out the notice we desire for the morning papers, and he will have it sent to the offices while I take you to my home.” They paused at the steps of the rectory, and he said, tenderly: “It is not too late to draw back yet, Viola.” “There is no drawing back for me!” And the newspapers next morning gayly chronicled the elopement. “SOCIETY BELLE ELOPES. “VAGARIES OF A BEAUTY. “The Daughter of a High Official in Washington, the Handsomest Girl in Society, a Charming Coquette Who has Refused Scores of Eligible Men, Jilts a Distinguished Member of Congress on the very eve of Her Bridal, and Elopes with a Poor Young Man! “Fashionable society, which expected to get on its best togs today for the grand noon-wedding of Congressman Desha and the lovely Miss Van Lew, will stand aghast at learning that the marriage is off. “The lovely coquette, assuming the prerogative of lovely woman to change her mind, left the prospective bridegroom in the lurch last evening, and eloped with a poor young journalist, Rolfe Maxwell, whom she secretly preferred. “The marriage ceremony was solemnized last evening at the rectory of All Souls’ Church, by the genial rector from whom these facts were gleaned by our busy reporter. It is understood that the jilted bridegroom is _désolé_, and _père_ Van Lew furious and unforgiving; but as the capricious bride inherits on her marriage the fortune of her deceased mother, she can afford to snap her fingers at the irate papa.” CHAPTER XXI. THE BRIDE’S HOME-COMING. “Give me but thy love, and I Envy none beneath the sky; Pains and perils I defy If thy presence cheer me. Give me but thy love, my sweet; Joy shall bless us when we meet; Pleasures come and cares retreat When thou smilest near me!” Viola herself had written the newspaper article, smiling vindictively at the cruel stabs it held for Philip Desha’s heart. Then she handed the sheet to her new-made husband, and he began to read it, exclaiming, admiringly: “Capital, Viola! This will hoodwink everybody, and cover Desha with confusion.” “That is what I most desire!” she replied, bitterly; and he saw that her complete revenge absorbed all her thoughts. He read on, and at the last words he started in surprise, and whispered, hurriedly: “Viola, this latter clause? I did not know about that! I--I--shall be accused of being a fortune-hunter!” “Oh, no; for the fact of my being my mother’s sole heiress was not generally known. In fact, papa has never told me of it, but Aunt Edwina mentioned it one day,” replied Viola, rising, and standing by his side, a pale, excited bride, with a strange fire burning in her splendid eyes.