in a sort of semi-fashion, but he never really
wanted to get married. He liked to be a bachelor. He noticed how
other men ran down after marriage, and he didn't want to run down. He
saw how so many girls went to seed after marriage, and he didn't want
them to belong to him. 'Let well enough alone, you fool,' was his
philosophy. I knew it. He had told me about it often, and I always
said it was sound good sense.

"The second afternoon I told him I was going to wear white lace to be
married in, and had picked out my bridesmaids. I asked him where would
be a nice place to go for a honeymoon, and he flung himself home in a
huff, and said it was none of his business where I went but he
suggested New London or Danville. I showed no annoyance when he left
so abruptly. I was too busy. I drew my feet up under me and went on
making notes in my red book. He looked out from behind the windows of
the dining-room, carefully concealed of course, but I saw him. I could
hear him nearly having apoplexy when he saw me utterly and blissfully
absorbed in my book."

Carol chuckled in ecstasy. She foresaw that Connie was practically
engaged to Dan, a prince of a fellow, and she was so glad. That little
scamp of a Connie, to keep it secret so long.

"Oh," she cried, "I always thought you loved each other."

"So?" asked Connie coolly. "Dan admitted he was surprised that my
plans worked so easily. Before that he had been my escort on every
occasion, and the town accepted it blandly. Now I had a regular series
of attendants, and Dan was relegated to a few spare moments under the
lilacs now and then. He couldn't see how I got hold of the fellows.
He said they were perfect miffs to be nosed around like that. Why
didn't they show some manhood? Boneless, brainless jelly fishes,
jumping head first because a little snip of a girl said jump.

"The third day I called him on the phone.

"'Dan, come over quick. I have the loveliest thing to show you.'

"He did not wait for a hat. He dashed out and over the hedge, and I
had the door open for him.

"'Oh, look,' I gurgled. I am not a very good gurgler, but sometimes
you just have to do it.

"Dan looked. 'Nothing but silverware, is it?'

"I was hurt. 'Nothing but silverware? Why, it is my silverware, for
my own little house. It cost a terribly, criminally lot, but I
couldn't resist it. I really feel much more settled since I bought it.
There is something very final about