to, for I have never
been there, but I believe it is the gateway to the Elysium fields
that lie just on the hither side of heaven."

Nannie looked up into the grave eyes and saw something of tenderness,
something of reverence there that was new to her. She had stepped into
an unknown world and was awed. As she sat there all mockery and levity
faded from her face, and in its place there crept a look of deep
admiration and deep respect for this man, and something awoke in her
soul.

She said not a word--she had no words for such as this--but by and by
she put her hand into Steve's.

"For life, Nannie?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, and burst into tears.

V

A lover's ecstasy is ofttimes cut short by the reflection that he has
yet to face that awful bugbear--the old folk. There is something
terrible about age, it would seem, not only to its possessor, but even
to those who must encounter it second hand, and Steve was not without
his qualms. Although in his wooing he had not for one moment lost his
gentle self-possession, he had entirely forgotten about the ordeal of
an interview with Nannie's guardians until she reminded him by saying
with an impish chuckle:

"Won't Aunt Frances be happy when she hears of this!"

"Is she anxious that you should marry?" asked Steve with some wonder.

Nannie looked at him with wide eyes for a moment. It seemed hardly
possible that one could be so dull of comprehension, and yet there
was no doubting Steve's grave, earnest expression.

"Yes," was her only reply, but inwardly she was convulsed with
laughter as she looked ahead and in thought rapidly sketched a scene.

And so Steve walked up to his task with but a faint conception of its
magnitude.

"I have called, Mrs. Lamont," he said in his easy, gentlemanly way,
"to ask for the hand of your niece. Nannie and I have had a little
talk about it and understand each other, I think, and now we await
your consent."

"You surely don't _expect_ my consent," said Mrs. Lamont.

Steve's shyness and gentleness seemed to return to him.

"I really," he said hesitatingly, "had not thought of any reason why
we should not have it."

"Mr. Loveland--well, this is intensely trying to me. You've no idea, I
am sure, how I dislike to be so plain; but _can_ you not understand
that you are hardly a suitable match for Nannie? You are very poor, I
believe."

"Why, no," said Steve gently.

He had a good