"Thank you," was Joshua's eager, respectful reply.

She gave him the sheet of notepaper she was carrying in her left
hand. It was her own private paper, heavy, quiet, rich, engraved
with aristocratic simplicity, most elegant; and most elegant was
the handwriting. "This," said she, "is to be given out in addition
to the formal notice which Grant will send to the newspapers."

Craig read:

"Mrs. Bowker announces the marriage of her grand-daughter,
Margaret Severence, and Joshua Craig, of Wayne, Minnesota, and
Washington, by the Reverend Doctor Scones, at the Waldorf, this
morning. Only a few relatives and Mr. Craig's friend, Mr. Grant
Arkwright, were present. The marriage occurred sooner than was
expected, out of consideration for Mrs. Bowker, as she is very
old, and wished it to take place before she left for her summer
abroad."

Craig lifted to the old lady the admiring glance of a satisfied
expert in public opinion. Their eyes met on an equality; for an
instant he forgot that she figured in his imagination as anything
more than a human being. "Splendid!" cried he, with hearty
enthusiasm. "You have covered the case exactly. Grant, telephone
for an Associated Press reporter and give him this."

"I'll copy it off for him," said Grant.

Madam Bowker and Craig exchanged amused glances. "You'll give it
to him in Madam Bowker's handwriting," ordered Craig. "You told