Fosdick manner was, if not genial, at least quiet
and matter of fact. He was taken aback. What did it mean? Was it
possible that Madeline's father was inclined to regard her engagement
to him with favor? A great throb of joy accompanied the thought. Then
he remembered the letter he had just read, the letter from Madeline's
mother, and the hope subsided.

"Albert," said Captain Zelotes, "Mr. Fosdick has come on here to talk
with us; that is, with me and you, about your affairs. He and I have
talked up to the point where it seemed to me you ought to come in for
a spell. I've told him that the news that you and his daughter
were--er--favorably disposed toward each other was as sudden and as big
a surprise to me as 'twas to him. Even your grandma don't know it yet.
Now I presume likely he'd like to ask you a few questions. Heave ahead,
Mr. Fosdick."

He relit his cigar stump and leaned back in his chair. Mr. Fosdick
leaned forward in his. Albert stood very straight, his shoulders braced
for the encounter. The quizzical twinkle shone in Captain Lote's eye as
he regarded his grandson. Fosdick also smiled momentarily as he caught
the expression of the youth's face.

"Well, Speranza," he began, in so cheerful a tone that Albert's
astonishment grew even greater, "your grandfather has been kind enough
to get us through the preliminaries, so we'll come at once to the
essentials. You and my daughter consider yourselves engaged to marry?"

"Yes, sir. We ARE engaged."

"I see. How long have you--um--been that way, so to speak?"

"Since last August."

"Why haven't you said anything about it to us--to Mrs. Fosdick or me or
your people here? You must excuse these personal questions. As I have
just said to Captain Snow, Madeline is our only child, and her happiness
and welfare mean about all there is in life to her mother and me. So,
naturally, the man she is going to marry is an important consideration.
You and I have never met before, so the quickest way of reaching an
understanding between us is by the question route. You get my meaning?"

"Yes, sir, I guess I do."

"Good! Then we'll go ahead. Why have you two kept it a secret so long?"

"Because--well, because we knew we couldn't marry yet a while, so we
thought we had better not announce it for the present."

"Oh! . . . And the idea that perhaps Mrs. Fosdick and I might be
slightly interested didn't occur to you?"

"Why, yes, sir, it did. But,--but we thought it best n