nday evening, a feeling of great delight
stole over him. He had known many nice girls in his lifetime, but
there was something uncommonly interesting about Miss Anna Prince;
besides, who could help being grateful to her for being so much nicer
than anybody had expected?

And so the days went by. Nobody thought there was any objection when
the junior partner of the law firm took holiday after holiday, for
there was little business and Mr. Sergeant liked to keep on with his
familiar routine. His old friends came to call frequently, and they
had their conferences in peace, and were not inclined to object if the
younger ears were being used elsewhere. Young people will be young
people, and June weather does not always last; and if George Gerry
were more devoted to social duties than to legal ones, it was quite
natural, and he had just acquitted himself most honorably at the May
term of court, and was his own master if he decided to take a
vacation.

He had been amused when the announcement had been made so early in
their acquaintance that Nan meant to study medicine. He believed if
there were any fault, it was Dr. Leslie's, and only thought it a pity
that her evident practical talents had not been under the guidance of
a more sensible director. The girl's impetuous defense of her choice
was very charming; he had often heard Mr. Sergeant speak of the rare
insight and understanding of legal matters which his favorite daughter
had possessed, and her early death had left a lonely place in the good
man's heart. Miss Prince's life at Oldfields must have been very dull,
especially since her boarding-school days were over. For himself he
had a great prejudice against the usurpation of men's duties and
prerogatives by women, and had spoken of all such assumptions with
contempt. It made a difference that this attractive young student had
spoken bravely on the wrong side; but if he had thought much about it
he would have made himself surer and surer that only time was needed
to show her the mistake. If he had gone deeper into the subject he
would have said that he thought it all nonsense about women's having
the worst of it in life; he had known more than one good fellow who
had begun to go down hill from the day he was married, and if girls
would only take the trouble to fit themselves for their indoor
business the world would be a vastly more comfortable place. And as
for their tinkering at the laws, such projects should be bitter