"At least we, the older ones," she added with a smiling glance at Elsie; "the little flower girls will not be needed until somewhat later." "You may set your own time," her father said.

"I will send you and Grace over in the family carriage, and it can return in full season for the use of anyone else who desires it.

We have a variety of horses and conveyances, gentlemen, any or all of them at your service at whatever hour you may appoint," he added, turning to his guests.

"There will be abundance of time for a ride or drive for mere exercise or enjoyment, before donning your attire for the grand occasion, if you wish to take it." Both gentlemen accepted the offer with thanks, and they proceeded to lay their plans for a gallop together over some of the roads with which Dick had been familiar in his childhood, but which would be new to Captain Keith.

They set out within an hour after leaving the breakfast table, and not very long afterward the young girls were on their way to Ion.
They found the house beautifully decorated with flowers from garden and conservatories, especially the room in which the ceremony was to take place.
Everybody seemed in a state of subdued excitement, Rosie half gay, half sad, her eyes filling whenever she turned them upon her mother--the dear mother who had so loved and cherished her all the days of her life with such unselfish devotion as no other earthly creature could know; how could she endure the thought of the impending separation?
She could not; she could only strive to forget it, and keep her mind filled with the important step now just about to be taken, for she had already gone too far to retreat even were she sure that she wished to do so.