There was Doctor Tio-King, his Cornaro under his arm; Fulk Ephrinell and Miss Horatia Bluett, mingling their teeth and hair, figuratively, be it understood; Sir Francis Trevellyan, motionless and silent, intractable and stiff, smoking his cigar on the threshold; Faruskiar, accompanied by Ghangir; Russian, Turkoman, Chinese travelersin all from sixty to eighty persons.

But then Ephrinell and Miss Bluett are all the time absorbed in their commercial tête-à-tête.

Ephrinell and Miss Bluett are talking away with unusual animation, and I catch the end of the dialogue.

And with whom, if you please?" "Miss Horatia Bluett." "You are going to fight Miss Bluett!"

And with whom, if you please?" "Miss Horatia Bluett." "You are going to fight Miss Bluett!"

"And now for Miss Bluett's witnesses.

It is not at Pekin that I hope to marry Miss Bluett!"

I first asked Major Noltitz, who willingly agreed to be Miss Bluett's witness.

" That meant the marriage of Fulk Ephrinell and Horatia Bluett.

"Miss Horatia Bluett, of the firm of Messrs. Holmes-Holme, of London, has the honor to invite you to her wedding with Mr. Fulk Ephrinell, of the firm of Messrs. Strong, Bulbul & Co., of New York City, etc., etc."

Miss Bluett is in one of the toilet cabinets in the first van, where she is probably preparing herself.

Here is Miss Horatia Bluett, as thin, as dry, as plain as ever, her dust cloak over her traveling gown, and in place of jewelry a noisy bunch of keys, which hangs from her belt.

"The two souls that blend togetherFlesh of my fleshIncrease and multiply" In my opinion he had much better have got to work like a notary: "Before us, there has been drawn up a deed of arrangement regarding Messrs. Ephrinell, Bluett & Co." My thought remained unfinished.

However, as soon as the Mongols appeared, Popof hurried Madame Caterna, Miss Horatia Bluett, and the other women into the cars.

To the reports of the guns there are now added the cries of the women, who in their terror are running about the gangways, although Miss Bluett and Madame Caterna are trying to keep them inside the cars.

The fact is that Fulk Ephrinell, on the one part, and Horatia Bluett, on the other part, seemed to have forgotten that had it not been for the attack of Ki-Tsang and his band they would now have been united in the gentle bonds of matrimony.

At present I have nothing in view beyond the Bluett-Ephrinell marriage and the termination of the Kinko affair.

From Lob Nor to Kara Nor there are three hundred and fifty kilometres to run, and between the lakes we will resume the interrupted marriage of Fulk Ephrinell and Horatia Bluett, if nothing occurs to again delay their happiness.

The Reverend Nathaniel Morse, in announcing that the marriage will take place at nine o'clock, presents the compliments of Mr. Ephrinell and Miss Bluett.

Before replying, Miss Bluett turns to Ephrinell, and says: "It is understood that Holmes-Holme will have twenty-five per cent.

" "That is not fair, for I agree to thirty per cent, from Strong, Bulbul & Co." "Well, let us say twenty per cent., Miss Bluett.

A dry "yes" from Horatia Bluett, a short "yes" from Fulk Ephrinell, and the two are declared to be united in the bonds of matrimony.

Nos. 1 and 2, Fulk Ephrinell and Miss Horatia Bluett: not being able to agree regarding the various items stipulated in their matrimonial contract, they were divorced three days after their arrival in Pekin.

Things were as though the marriage had never been celebrated on the Grand Transasiatic, and Miss Horatia Bluett remained Miss Horatia Bluett.

Things were as though the marriage had never been celebrated on the Grand Transasiatic, and Miss Horatia Bluett remained Miss Horatia Bluett.