For Barclay had tactfully asked the colonel as a favour to invite Mr.and Mrs.Bemis to the silver wedding reception.

So the Bemises came.

Mrs.Bemis, who was rather stout, even for a woman in her early forties, wore black satin and jet ornaments, including black jet ear bobs of tremendous size.

And Watts McHurdie was so touched by the way ten years under a roof had tamed the woman whom he had known of old as "Happy Hallie," that he wrote a poem for the _Banner_ about the return of the "Prodigal Daughter," which may be found in Garrison County scrap-books of that period.

As for Mr.Bemis, he went slinking about the outskirts of the crowd, showing his teeth considerably, and making it obvious that he was there.
So as John Barclay rode his "Evening Star" to glory, in the next room General Ward turned to the colonel, who stood puffing in the doorway of the general's law-office.