either be cajoled nor bought, I see no hope for
them," I replied, laughing, as she sprang from my hand into her saddle.

The red flame of the maple was in her face as she looked back at me.
"Everything will come right, Ben, if we only love enough," she said.

CHAPTER XVIII

THE PRINCIPLES OF MISS MATOACA

When I walked down to the office now, I began to be pointed out as "the
General's wonderful boy." Invitations to start companies, or to
directorships of innumerable boards, were showered upon me, and
adventurous promoters of vain schemes sought desperately to shelter
themselves behind my growing credit. Then, in the following October, the
consolidated oil interests bought out my business at my own price, and I
awoke one glorious morning to the knowledge that my fortune was made.

"If you're going to swell, Ben, now's the time," said the General, "and
out you go."

But my training had been in a hard school, and by the end of the month
he had ceased to enquire in the mornings "if my hat still fitted my
head."

"You'll have your ups and downs, Ben, like the rest of us," he said,
"but the main thing is, let your fortunes see-saw as they may, always
keep your eyes on a level. By the way, I saw Sally Mickleborough last
night, and when I asked her why she fell in love with you, she replied
it was because she saw you pushing a wheel up a hill. Now there's a
woman with a reason--you'd better look sharp, or she'll begin talking
politics presently like her Aunt Matoaca. What do you think I found on
my desk this morning? A pamphlet, addressed in her handwriting, about
the presidential election." Then his tone softened. "So Sally's going to
marry you in spite of her aunts? Well, she's a good girl, a brave girl,
and I'm proud of her."

When I went home to supper, I was to have a different opinion from Dr.
Theophilus.

"I saw Sally Mickleborough to-day, Ben, when I called on Miss
Matoaca,--[that poor lady gets flightier every day, she left a pamphlet
here this morning about the presidential election]--and the girl told me
in the few minutes I saw her in the hall, that she meant to marry you
next month."

"She will do me that great honour, doctor."

"Well, I regret it, Ben; I can't conceal from you that I regret it.
You're a good boy, and I'm proud of you, but I don't like to see young
folks putting themselves in opposition to the judgment of their elders.
I'm an orthodox believer in the claims of blood, you know