he bargain."

Oscar rose. "Yes," he broke in, "everybody's laughing to see you
get took in; at your age, too. Everybody knows he's nearly five
years younger than you, and is after your money. Why, Alexandra,
you are forty years old!"

"All that doesn't concern anybody but Carl and me. Go to town and
ask your lawyers what you can do to restrain me from disposing of
my own property. And I advise you to do what they tell you; for
the authority you can exert by law is the only influence you will
ever have over me again." Alexandra rose. "I think I would rather
not have lived to find out what I have to-day," she said quietly,
closing her desk.

Lou and Oscar looked at each other questioningly. There seemed to
be nothing to do but to go, and they walked out.

"You can't do business with women," Oscar said heavily as he
clambered into the cart. "But anyhow, we've had our say, at last."

Lou scratched his head. "Talk of that kind might come too high, you
know; but she's apt to be sensible. You hadn't ought to said that
about her age, though, Oscar. I'm afraid that hurt her feelings;
and the worst thing we can do is to make her sore at us. She'd
marry him out of contrariness."

"I only meant," said Oscar, "that she is old enough to know better,
and she is. If she was going to marry, she ought to done it long
ago, and not go making a fool of herself now."

Lou looked anxious, nevertheless. "Of course," he reflected hopefully
and inconsistently, "Alexandra ain't much like other women-folks.
Maybe it won't make her sore. Maybe she'd as soon be forty as
not!"

XI

Emil came home at about half-past seven o'clock that evening. Old
Ivar met him at the windmill and took his horse, and the young
man went directly into the house. He called to his sister and she
answered from her bedroom, behind the sitting-room, saying that
she was lying down.

Emil went to her door.

"Can I see you for a minute?" he asked. "I want to talk to you
about something before Carl comes."

Alexandra rose quickly and came to the door. "Where is Carl?"

"Lou and Oscar met us and said they wanted to talk to him, so he
rode over to Oscar's with them. Are you coming out?" Emil asked
impatiently.

"Yes, sit down. I'll be dressed in a moment."

Alexandra closed her door, and Emil sank down on the old slat lounge
and sat with his head in his hands. When his sister came out, he
looked up, not knowing whether the interval had been short or long