omen out here. Your
game is to chase back and keep Pulsifer interested."

"I suppose you're right," says Marjorie. "Let's tell them."

So I follows into the big kitchen, where I finds the disabled Romeo
propped up in a chair, with the whole push of 'em, includin' the fat
cook, a couple of maids, and the butler, all tryin' to bandage him in
diff'rent spots. He's a big, gawky-lookin' young gent, with a thick crop
of pale hair and a solemn, serious look on his face, like he was one of
the kind that took everything hard. As soon as Marjorie gives 'em my
hint about goin' back to Father there's a gen'ral protest.

"Oh, I can't do it!" says Edna.

"He would notice at once how nervous I am," groans Mrs. Pulsifer.

"But you don't want him walking out here, do you?" demands Marjorie.

That settled 'em. They bunched together panicky and started back for the
lib'ry.

"I'll stay and attend to the getaway," says I. "Nobody'll miss me."

"Thank you," says Gilkey; "but I'm not sure I wish to go away. I came to
see Edna, you know."

"So I hear," says I. "Unique idea of yours too, rollin' in the hotbeds
first."

"I--I was only trying to avoid meeting Mr. Pulsifer," says he;
"exploring a bit, you see. I could hear voices in the dining-room; but I
couldn't quite look in. There was a little shed out there, though, and
by climbing on that I could get a view. That was how I lost my balance."

"Before you go callin' again," says I, "you ought to practice roostin'
in the dark. Say, the old man must have thrown quite a scare into you
last time."

"I am not afraid of Mr. Pulsifer, not a bit," says he.

"Well, well!" says I. "Think of that!"

"Anyway," says he, "I just wasn't goin' to be driven off that way.
It--it isn't fair to either of us."

"Then it's a clear case with both of you, is it?" says I.

"We are engaged," says Gilkey, "and I don't care who knows it! It's not
her money I'm after, either. We don't want a dollar from Mr. Pulsifer.
We--we just want each other."

"Now you're talkin'!" says I; for, honest, the simple, slushy way he
puts it across sort of wins me. And if that was how the case stood, with
Edna longin' for him, and him yearnin' for Edna, why shouldn't they? If
I'm any judge, Edna wouldn't find another right away who'd be so crazy
about her, and anyone who could discover charms about Gilkey ought to be
rewarded.

"See here!" says I. "Why not sail right in there, look Father between
the eyes, and hand th