. Dele spoke of it."

Ben looked straight at his brother, out of the frankest of eyes. It was
Joe who changed colour.

"I hate things to go crosswise. And when something keeps you just a
little ruffled up all the time--"

Ben drew his brows. Was he really unconscious of the trouble?

"You go there a good deal, you know. Some of the men are not quite the
company a young fellow should choose, mother thinks."

That was begging the main issue, of course.

"I don't see much of the older men. They're mostly smoking downstairs,
and I don't care a bit for that. But their talk is often worth listening
to. People who just keep in one little round have no idea how rich the
world is growing intellectually, scientifically; and on what broad lines
it is being laid."

"It is not the men altogether. Ben, you don't go anywhere else. Perhaps
it would be wisdom to enlarge your acquaintance among girls, young
ladies," and Joe gave a short laugh that betrayed the effort.

"I don't care a penny for girls in general," said Ben, with elderly
gravity. "Delia sometimes asks them in; and we seldom have as good a
time. She's a host in herself; and I've always liked her."

"You haven't had a very wide experience. And you are too young to make
up your mind about--anything."

Ben started up suddenly and flushed. What a fine, strong, solid face he
had! It wasn't the face of one turned about with every wind of doctrine;
it was not as handsome as Jim's bid fair to be, but it had hardly a weak
or selfish line in it. Ben had always been such a good, generous, steady
boy.

"You don't mean," he began with a little gasp,--"Joe, you can't think
that mother--that any one would object if the time came for me to--to
marry Delia?"

"You are too young to think of such things, Ben," said his brother,
gently.

"Why--I've been thinking of it ever since Mr. Theodore came home. We
were talking one time about going to Europe--"

"Are you really engaged, Ben?"

The young fellow laughed and blushed.

"Well--I suppose not exactly," he answered slowly. "We've never come to
that boshy stuff you find now and then in stories. But we know all about
each other's plans; and we like so many of the same things; and we
always feel so comfortable together, not a bit as if we were trigged up
in Sunday clothes. I don't think she's the most beautiful girl in the
world; but she has lovely eyes, and I've never seen a handsome girl I
have liked as well. Steve chose his