d it
warmly again and again.

"I always knew you were suthin' out of the ordinary," she declared
vigorously. "You know I wouldn't have let him marry you if I hadn't been
pretty sure as you were different from Lucinda an' the common run."

And then she beamed on them both and Jack beamed on them both and Mrs.
Rosscott kissed each of them and dried her own happy eyes.

"Now I want to know jus' how an' where you learned to love him?" the aunt
asked next.

"I loved him almost directly I knew him," she answered, and at that Aunt
Mary seemed on the point of applauding with the ear-trumpet against the
headboard.

"It was jus' the same with me," she said delightedly. "He was only a baby
then, but the first look I took I jus' had a feelin'--"

"Yes," said Mrs. Rosscott sympathetically, "so did I."

They all laughed together.

"An' now," said Aunt Mary, laying back and folding her arms upon her
bosom, "an' now comes the main question,--when do you two want to be
married?"

"Oh!" said the widow starting, "we--I--Jack--"

"Well, go on," said Aunt Mary. "Say whenever you like. An' then Jack can
do the same."

The two young people exchanged glances.

"Speak right up," said Aunt Mary. "I'm a great believer in not hangin'
back when anythin' has got to be decided. Jack, what do you think?"

"I want to get married right off," said Jack decidedly.

"I think he's too young," put in Mrs. Rosscott hastily.

"I don't know," said Aunt Mary, looking at her nephew reflectively. "Seems
to me he's big enough, an' I'm a great believer in never dilly-dallyin'
over what's got to be done some time. Why not Thanksgiving?"

"Thanksgiving!" shrieked Mrs. Rosscott.

"Yes," said Aunt Mary. "I think it would be a good time, an' then I can
come and spend Christmas with you in the city."

"Great idea!" declared her nephew; "me for Thanksgiving."

"What do you say?" said Aunt Mary to the bride-to-be.

"Oh, I don't see--" began the latter, wrinkling her pretty forehead in a
prettier perplexity and looking helplessly back and forth between their
double eagerness.

"Well, why not?" said the aunt. "It ain't as if there was any reason for
waitin'. If there was I'd be the first to be willin' to do all I could to
be patient, but as it is--even if you an' Jack ain't in any particular
hurry, I am, an' I was brought up to go right to work at gettin' what you
want as soon as you know what it is."

"But this is so sudden," wailed Mrs. Rosscott.