he went on
inquiringly, "You don't incline to Clara's view of a certain matter, I
fancy?"

"Decidedly not. My girl must have the best, and Clara's training would
spoil an angel," answered Dr. Alec quickly.

"But we shall find it hard to let our little Rose go out of the family.
How would Archie do? He has been well brought up and is a thoroughly
excellent lad."

The brothers had retired to the study by this time and were alone, yet
Dr. Alec lowered his voice as he said with a tender sort of anxiety
pleasant to see: "You know I do not approve of cousins marrying, so I'm
in a quandary, Mac, for I love the child as if she were my own and feel
as if I could not give her up to any man whom I did not know and trust
entirely. It is of no use for us to plan, for she must choose for
herself yet I do wish we could keep her among us and give one of our
boys a wife worth having."

"We must, so never mind your theories but devote yourself to testing our
elder lads and making one of them a happy fellow. All are heart-whole,
I believe, and, though young still for this sort of thing, we can be
gently shaping matters for them, since no one knows how soon the moment
may come. My faith it is like living in a powder mill to be among a lot
of young folks nowadays! All looks as calm as possible till a sudden
spark produces an explosion, and heaven only knows where we find
ourselves after it is over."

And Uncle Mac sat himself comfortably down to settle Rose's fate while
the doctor paced the room, plucking at his beard and knitting his brows
as if he found it hard to see his way.

"Yes, Archie is a good fellow," he said, answering the question he had
ignored before. "An upright, steady, intelligent lad who will make an
excellent husband if he ever finds out that he has a heart. I suppose
I'm an old fool, but I do like a little more romance in a young man than
he seems to have more warmth and enthusiasm, you know. Bless the boy! He
might be forty instead of three or four and twenty, he's so sober, calm,
and cool. I'm younger than he is, and could go a-wooing like a Romeo if
I had any heart to offer a woman."

The doctor looked rather shamefaced as he spoke, and his brother
burst out laughing. "See here, Alec, it's a pity so much romance and
excellence as yours should be lost, so why don't you set these young
fellows an example and go a-wooing yourself? Jessie has been wondering
how you have managed to keep from falling in love with P