g marriage. Young Thomas, who had
recovered his usual good humour, merely laughed. There was no use in
being too earnest in denial, he thought. He knew that his unusual fit
of petulance with his housekeeper had only convinced her that the
story was true. It would die away in time, as other similar stories
had died, he thought. Valley View gossip was imaginative.

Young Thomas looked rather serious, however, when the minister and his
wife called that evening and referred to the report. Young Thomas
gravely said that it was unfounded. The minister looked graver still
and said he was sorry--he had hoped it was true. His wife glanced
significantly about Young Thomas's big, untidy sitting-room, where
there were cobwebs on the ceiling and fluff in the corners and dust on
the mop-board, and said nothing, but looked volumes.

"Dang it all," said Young Thomas, as they drove away, "they'll marry
me yet in spite of myself."

The gossip made him think about Adelia Williams. He had never thought
about her before; he was barely acquainted with her. Now he remembered
that she was a plump, jolly-looking little woman, noted for being a
good housekeeper. Then Young Thomas groaned, remembering that he must
start out looking for a housekeeper soon; and housekeepers were not
easily found, as Young Thomas had discovered several times since his
mother's death ten years before.

Next Sunday in church Young Thomas looked at Adelia Williams. He
caught Adelia looking at him. Adelia blushed and looked guiltily away.

"Dang it all," reflected Young Thomas, forgetting that he was in
church. "I suppose she has heard that fool story too. I'd like to know
the person who started it; man or woman, I'd punch their head."

Nevertheless, Young Thomas went on looking at Adelia by fits and
starts, although he did not again catch Adelia looking at him. He
noticed that she had round rosy cheeks and twinkling brown eyes. She
did not look like an old maid, and Young Thomas wondered that she had
been allowed to become one. Sarah Barnett, now, to whom report had
married him a year ago, looked like a dried sour apple.

* * * * *

For the next four weeks the story haunted Young Thomas like a spectre.
Down it would not. Everywhere he went he was joked about it. It
gathered fresh detail every week. Adelia was getting her clothes
ready; she was to be married in seal-brown cashmere; Vinnie Lawrence
at Valley Centre was making it fo