ve to ask your granddaughter
to marry me?"

She laughed.

"Really, my dear Roddy, you've been very long about it--coming out with
it, I mean. Didn't you know and didn't I know that that's what you came
for to-day?"

"Well then, may I?"

She paused and watched his anxiety. Between both of them there hung,
now, the recollection of so many things--conversations and deeds and
thoughts known to both of them, so many, many things that no others in
all the world could know. She waited for his eyes, caught them and held
them.

"Are you in love with her?"

"Yes--that is--she's splendid----"

"You haven't known her very long and you're a little impulsive, ain't
you, Roddy, about these things?"

"No--I don't know her now. But we've seen a lot of one another these
last months--a fearful lot. She's--oh! hang it! I never can say
things--but she's a brick."

"Do you think she'll accept you?"

"How can any feller tell? I think she likes me--she's odd----"

"Yes--she is--very. She's a mixture--she's very young--and she won't
understand you."

His eyes were suddenly troubled and, as she saw that trouble, she was
alarmed. He really _did_ care....

"Yes, I know--I don't understand myself. I'm wild sometimes--I wish I
weren't----"

"Marriage is going to make you a model character, Roddy. Of course I'm
glad--but it won't be easy, you know. And she won't be easy."

"I want her though. I've never thought of marriage before. I do want
her."

"My dear Roddy, you speak as though she were a sheep or a dog. It's only
her first season. Don't you think you'd better wait a little?"

"No. I want her now."

"Well, you're definite enough--" She paused and then, in a voice that
had, in spite of her, real emotion, "You have my consent. You've got
_my_ blessing."

He rose and came clumsily towards her.

"You don't know--I'm no use at words, but I'm dam' grateful--Rippin' of
you!"

For a second he touched her dried, withered hand--how cold it was! and
in this hot weather, too.

"You'll ask her at Julia Massiter's next week?"

"Expect so--I say you are----"

Then he sat down again. The room was relieved of an immense burden; once
more they were at ease together.

"The other night--" he said, bending forward and chuckling ever so
little.

III

Lady Carloes, Agnes Lady Farnet, and old Mrs. Brunning were coming to
play bridge with her. The ceremonial was ever the same! They arrived at
half-past nine and at half-past ele