"If he was an honorable man, why did he not come to _me_?" he asked,
pointedly.

"He was constantly seeking Miss Daisy's permission to do so," replied
Archie. "Which she never seemed quite willing to give him."

"She is too young to think of marriage," mused Mr. Fern, after a long
pause.

"He is willing to wait; but her present attitude, giving him no hope
whatever, has thrown him into the deepest dejection."

From this Mr. Weil proceeded to tell Mr. Fern all he knew about
Roseleaf. He said the young man was at present engaged on literary work
that promised to yield him good returns. He had a small fortune of his
own beside. Everything that could be thought of in his favor was dilated
upon to the fullest extent.

"I don't believe I can spare my 'baby,'" said Mr. Fern, kindly, "for any
man. You plead with much force, Mr. Weil, for your friend. How is it
that _you_ have never married. Are you blind to the charms of the sex?"

For an instant Archie was at loss how to reply.

"On the contrary," he said, at last, "I appreciate them fully. I have
had my heart's affair, too; but," he paused a long time, "she loved
another, and there was but one woman for me. Perhaps this leads me to
sympathize all the more with my unfortunate young friend."

Mr. Fern said he would have a talk with Daisy, and learn what he could
without bringing in the name of his informant.

"We fathers are always the last to see these things," he added. "It
would be terrible to give her up, but I want her to be happy."

CHAPTER XVII.

A BURGLAR IN THE HOUSE.

Millicent Fern lay wide awake a few nights later, at Midlands, when the
clock struck two. She was thinking of her second novel, now nearly ready
for Mr. Roseleaf's hand. There was a hitch in the plot that she could
best unravel in the silence. As she lay there she heard a slight noise,
as of some one moving about. At first she paid little attention to it,
but later she grew curious, for she had never known the least motion in
that house after its occupants were once abed. She thought of each of
them in succession, and decided that the matter ought to be
investigated.

Millicent had no fear. If there was a burglar present, she wanted to
know. She arose, therefore, and slipped on a dress and slippers. Guided
only by the uncertain light that came in at the windows, she tiptoed
across the hall, and in the direction in which she had heard the noise.
She soon located it as being on the