"If that means not asking Frances to marry me to-morrow, you can't,
sir."

"You--you wouldn't ask her to go against my wishes in the matter?"

"I would, sir."

"And you expect her to do so?"

"I hope she will."

"Well, she won't," Stuyvesant answered. He was chewing his cigar
again.

"You spoke of the something more, sir," said Don. "I think I know what
that means, and it's a whole lot more than anything your ten thousand
can give. When I found myself stony broke, I was dazed for a while,
and thought a good deal as you think. Then this summer I found the
something more. I wouldn't swap back."

"Then stay where you are," snapped Stuyvesant. "Don't try to drag in
Frances."

Don prepared to leave.

"It's a pity you aren't stony broke too," he observed.

"Thanks," answered Stuyvesant. "But I'm not, and I don't intend to
have my daughter put in that position."

"You haven't forgotten that I have a house and twelve hundred?"

"I haven't forgotten that is all you have."

"You haven't forgotten the something more?"

Stuyvesant looked at his watch.

"I must be excused now, Pendleton," he concluded. "I think, on the
whole, it will be better if you don't call here after this."

"As you wish," answered Pendleton. "But I hope you'll come and see
us?"

"Damn you, Pendleton!" he exploded.

Then he turned quickly and left the room. So, after all, it was he in
the end who lost his temper.

CHAPTER XXVII

THE STARS AGAIN

Don went to the nearest telephone and rang up Frances.

"Your father lost his temper," he explained. "He ordered me not to
call again; so will you please to meet me on the corner right away?"

"I've just seen him," she answered. "Oh, Don, it was awful!"

"It is the best thing that could have happened," he said. "We have to
meet in the park now. It's the only place left."

"Don, dear, he told me not to meet you anywhere again. He--he was
quite savage about it."

"He had no right to tell you that," Don answered. "Anyhow, I must see
you. We'll talk it over under the stars."

"But, Don--"

"Please to hurry," he said.

She slipped a scarf over her hair and a cape over her shoulders, and
walked to the corner, looking about fearfully. He gripped her arm and
led her confidently away from the house and toward the park. The sky
was clear, and just beyond the Big Dipper he saw shining steadily the
star he had given Sally Winthrop. He smiled. It was as if she
reassured him.

"Wha