to buy enough stock to help
you out in that plan; unless I should do it myself," suggested
Westlake, and waited.

Sam surveyed the other man long and silently. Westlake, as the largest
minority shareholder, had done some very strange things to corporations
in his time.

"Neither do I," said Sam non-committally.

There was another long silence.

"If you carry through this Marsh Pulp Company to a successful
termination, you will be fairly well fixed for a young man, won't you?"
the older man ventured by and by.

"Well," hesitated Sam, "I'll have a start anyhow."

"I should say you would," Westlake assured him, placing his hands in
his favorite position for contemplative discussion. "You'll have a
good enough start to enable you to settle down."

"Yes," admitted Sam.

"What you need, my boy, is a wife," went on Mr. Westlake. "No man's
business career is properly assured until he has a wife to steady him
down."

"I believe that," agreed Sam. "I've come to the same conclusion
myself, and to tell you the truth of the matter I've been contemplating
marriage very seriously since I've been down here."

"Good!" approved Westlake. "You're a fine boy, Sam. I may tell you
right now that I approve of both you and your decision very heartily.
I rather thought there was something in the wind that way."

"Yes," confessed Sam hesitantly. "I don't mind admitting that I have
even gone so far as to pick out the girl, if she'll have me."

Mr. Westlake smiled.

"I don't think there will be any trouble on that score," said he. "Of
course, Sam, I'm not going to force your confidence, or anything of
that sort, but--but I want to tell you that I think you're all right,"
and he very solemnly shook hands with Mr. Turner.

They had just reached the top of the hill when Westlake again returned
to business.

"I'm glad to know you're going to settle down, Sam," he said. "It
inspires me with more confidence in your affairs, and I may say that I
stand ready to subscribe, in my daughter's name, for fifty thousand
dollars' worth of the stock of your company."

"Well," said Sam, giving the matter careful weight. "It will be a good
investment for her."

Before Mr. Westlake had any time to reply to this, the grays, having
just passed the summit of the hill, leaped forward in obedience to
another swish of Sam's whip.

CHAPTER XII

ANOTHER MISSED APPOINTMENT

The trio from Meadow Brook, on their way to Sunset Rock ga