quick no one can tell what may happen.
I want him to settle down, but I want him to settle down because he's
happy an' not because he's shattered. He says he's willin' to marry you
an' I don't see any good reason why not."

Janice's mouth continued to look rebellious.

"Go and get him," said Aunt Mary. "I can see that this thing has got to be
settled pleasantly right off, or we shan't none of us have any appetite
for dinner. You find Jack, or if you can't find him tell Lucinda that
she's got to."

Janice went out and found Jack in the hall.

"Is this a trap?" she asked reproachfully.

Jack laughed.

"No," he said "it's a counter-mine."

"Your aunt wants you at once," said Janice, putting her hands into her
pockets and looking out of the window.

"I fly to obey," he said obediently, and went at once to his elderly
relative.

"Jack," she said, the instant he opened the door, "I've had a little talk
with Granite. She don' want to marry you, but she looks to me like she
really didn't know her own mind. I've said all I can say an' I'm too tired
holdin' the ear-trumpet to say any more. I think the best thing you can do
is to take her out for a walk an' explain things thoroughly. It's no good
our talkin' to her together; and, anyway, I've always been a great
believer in 'Two's company--three's none.' That was really the big reason
why I'd never let Lucinda keep a cat. You take her and go to walk and I
guess everything'll come out all right. It ought to. My heavens alive!"

Jack took the maid and they went out to walk. When they were beyond
earshot the first thing that they did was to laugh long and loud.

"Of all my many and varied adventures!" cried Mrs. Rosscott, and Jack took
the opportunity to kiss her again--under no protest this time.

"We shall have to be married very soon, now, you know," he said gayly.
"Aunt Mary won't be able to wait."

"Oh, as to that--we'll see," said Mrs. Rosscott, and laughed afresh. "But
there is one thing that must be done at once."

"What's that?" Jack asked.

"We must tell Aunt Mary who I am."

"Oh, to be sure," said the young man.

"I hope she won't take it in any way but the right way!" the widow said
thoughtfully.

"My dearest, in what other way could she take it? I think she has proved
her opinion of you pretty sincerely."

"Yes," said Mrs. Rosscott, with a little smile, "I certainly have cause to
feel that she loves me for myself alone."

When they returned to