ressed a desire to speak with Miss Howes
alone.

John and the captain were still chuckling, but Thankful refused to see
the joke; she was almost in tears.

"It's dreadful!" she declared. "Perfectly awful! And Imogene! To act and
speak so to our next-door neighbor! What WILL come of it? And how COULD
she? How could she get engaged to THAT man, of all men? He's old enough
to be her father and--and she CAN'T care for him."

Emily entered the room. She was apparently much agitated and her eyes
were moist. She collapsed in a rocking-chair and put her handkerchief to
her face.

"Land sakes!" cried Captain Obed. "Is it as bad as that? Does it make
you cry?"

Emily removed the handkerchief. "I'm not crying," she gasped. "I--I--Oh
dear! This is the funniest thing that girl has done yet."

"But what is it?" asked John. "What's the answer? We're dying to know."

Emily shook her head. "I can't tell you," she said. "I promised I
wouldn't. It--it all came of a talk Imogene and I had a while ago. We
were speaking of self-sacrifice and she--she adores you, Auntie, and--"

Thankful interrupted. "Mercy on us!" she cried. "Adores me!
Self-sacrifice! She ain't doin' this crazy, loony thing for ME, I hope.
She ain't marryin' that Parker man because--"

"She hasn't married anyone yet. Oh, it is all right, Auntie; she knows
what she is doing, or she thinks she does. And, at any rate, I think
there is no danger of Mr. Parker's giving up his situation here until
you are ready to have him do it. There! I mustn't say another word. I
have said too much already."

Captain Obed rose to his feet.

"Well," he said, "it's too thick off the bows for me to see more'n a
foot; I give in to that. But I will say this: If that Imogene girl don't
know what she's up to it's the fust time since I've been acquainted with
her. And she sartin has spiked Hannah's guns. Either Hannah's got to say
'dum' when Imogene says 'dee' or she stands a chance to lose her brother
or his money, one or t'other, and she'd rather lose the fust than the
last, I'll bet you. Ho, ho! Yes, it does look as if Imogene had Hannah
in a clove hitch. . . . Well, I'm goin' over to see what the next doin's
in the circus is liable to be. I wouldn't miss any of THIS show for no
money. Good night."

CHAPTER X

The next morning Kenelm, arrayed in his best, was early on hand to
escort the lady of his choice to the Fair. The lady, herself, was ready
and the pair drove away in