unities for seeing
girls. You know I have travelled a great deal, and been in the very best
society; and, if I may say it, I think I can marry almost any one whom I
choose. I used to fear lest you and Hal would hit it off together, or,
rather, that he would try to get you, but, since he and Maude are so
thick, my fears in that quarter have vanished, and I am constantly
building castles as to what we will do. I did not mean to ask you quite
so soon, but the sight of you this morning washing your clothes, with
all that soapy steam in your face, decided me not to put it off. A Tracy
has no business in a washtub.'

'Did no Tracy ever wash her own clothes?' Jerrie asked, with an upward
and sidewise turn of her head, habitual with her when startled or
stirred.

There was a ring in her voice which Tom did not quite like, but he
answered, promptly:

'Oh, of course, years ago; but times change, and you certainly ought not
to be familiar with such vulgar things, and at Tracy Park you will be
surrounded with every possible luxury, Father, and Maude, and Uncle
Arthur will be overjoyed to have you there; and if, on my part, love and
money can make you happy, you certainly will be so.'

'You have plenty of money of your own?' Jerrie said, with another upward
toss of her golden head.

The question was full of sarcasm, but Tom did not see it, and answered
at once:

'Why, yes, or I shall have in time. Uncle Arthur, you know, is in no
condition to make a will now. It would not stand a minute. All the
lawyers say that.'

'You have taken counsel, then?'

The parasol dug a great hole in the soft pines and was in danger of
being broken, as Tom replied:

'Oh, yes; we are sure of that. Whatever Uncle Arthur has, and it is more
than a million, will go to father, and, after him, to Maude and me; so
you are sure to be rich and to be the mistress of Tracy Park, which will
naturally come to me. Think, Jerrie, what a different life you will lead
at the Park House from what you do now, washing old Mrs. Crawford's
stockings and Harold's overalls.'

'Yes, I am thinking,' Jerrie answered, very low; and if Tom had followed
the end of her parasol, he would have seen that it was forming the word
Gretchen in front of him.

'Suppose Mr. Arthur has a wife somewhere?' Jerrie asked.

'A wife!' Tom exclaimed. 'That is impossible. We should have heard of
that.'

'Who was Gretchen?' was the next query.

'Oh, some sweetheart, I suppose--some lit