n I arrive at his age," Sam commented
philosophically, "but just now I can't afford it. His 'seeing about it
to-morrow' cost him between five and six thousand dollars the last time
I had anything to do with him."

She laughed. She was enjoying Sam's company very much. Even if a bit
startling, he was at least refreshing after the type of young men she
was in the habit of meeting.

"He was talking about that last night," she said. "I think father
rather stands in both admiration and awe of you."

"I'm glad to hear that," he returned quite seriously. "It's a good
attitude in which to have the man with whom you expect to do business."

"I think I shall have to tell him that," she observed, highly amused.
"He will enjoy it, and it may put him on his guard."

"I don't mind," he concluded after due reflection. "It won't hurt a
particle. If anything, if he likes me so far, that will only increase
it. I like your father. In fact I like his whole family."

"Thank you," she said demurely, wondering if there was no end to his
bluntness, and wondering, too, whether it were not about time that she
should find it wearisome. On closer analysis, however, she decided
that the time was not yet come. "But you have not met all of them,"
she reminded him. "There are mother and a younger sister and an older
brother."

"Don't matter if there were six more, I like all of them," Sam promptly
informed her. Then, "Stop a minute," he suddenly directed the
chauffeur.

That functionary abruptly brought his machine to a halt just a little
way past a tree glowing with bright green leaves and red berries.

"I don't know what sort of a tree that is," said Sam with boyish
enthusiasm; "but see how pretty it is. Except for the shape of the
leaves the effect is as beautiful as holly. Wouldn't you like a branch
or two, Miss Stevens?"

"I certainly should," she heartily agreed. "I don't know how you
discovered that I have a mad passion for decorative weeds and things."

"Have you?" he inquired eagerly. "So have I. If I had time I'd be
rather ashamed of it."

He had scrambled out of the car and now ran back to the tree, where,
perching himself upon the second top rail of the fence he drew down a
limb, and with his knife began to snip off branches here and there.
The girl noticed that he selected the branches with discrimination,
turning each one over so that he could look at the broad side of it
before clipping, rejecting many a