all choose
the person who is to choose me. I have always thought it absurd for a
young woman to sit and wait and wait until some one comes and sees fit
to propose to her. Even under ordinary circumstances, I think the young
woman has not a fair chance to get what she wants. But my case is
extraordinary, and I can't afford to wait; and as I don't want to go out
into the world to look for a husband, I am going to take one of these
young men here."

"Olive," cried Mrs. Easterfield, "you don't mean you are going to marry
Mr. Locker?"

"You forget," said Olive, "that I told you I have not made up my mind
yet. But although I have not come to a decision, I have a leaning toward
one of them. The more I think of it the more I incline in the direction
of my old love."

"Mr. Hemphill!" exclaimed Mrs. Easterfield. "Olive, you are crazy, or
else you are joking in a very disagreeable manner. There could be no
one more unfit for you than he is."

"I am not crazy, and I am not joking," replied the girl, "and I think
Rupert would suit me very well. You see, I think a great deal more of
Rupert than I do of Mr. Hemphill, although the latter gentleman has
excellent points. He is commonplace, and, above everything else, I want
a commonplace husband. I want some one to soothe me, and quiet me, and
to give me ballast. If there is anything out of the way to be done I
want to do it myself. I am sure he is in love with me, for his anxious
efforts to make me believe that the frank avowal of my early affection
had no effect upon him proves that he was very much affected. I believe
that he is truly in love with me."

Mrs. Easterfield's sharp eyes had seen this, and she had nothing to say.

"I believe," continued Olive, "that a retrospect love will be a better
foundation for conjugal happiness than any other sort of affection. One
can always look back to it no matter what happens, and be happy in the
memory of it. It would be something distinct which could never be
interfered with. You can't imagine what an earnest and absorbing love I
once had for that man!"

Mrs. Easterfield sprang to her feet. "Olive Asher," she cried, "I can't
listen to you if you talk in this way!"

"Well, then," said Olive, "if you object so much to Rupert--you must not
forget that it would be Rupert that I would really marry if I became the
wife of Mr. Hemphill--do you advise me to take Mr. Locker? And I will
tell you this, he is not to be rudely set aside; he has w