let me."

"Don't be silly," said Anne, "and don't put your feet on that clean
chintz."

"All right," said he cheerfully. "My, how lovely the bride is looking to-
day! I wish old Tempy could see you now. He'd--"

"If you are going to be disagreeable, George, you may get out at once,"
said Mrs. Tresslyn.

"I never felt less like being objectionable in my life," said he, "so if
you don't mind I'll stay awhile. By the way, Anne, speaking of
disagreeable things, I am sure I saw Brady Thorpe on the avenue a bit ago.
Has your discarded skeleton come back with a key to your closet?"

"Braden is in New York," said his mother acidly. "Is it necessary for you
to be vulgar, George?"

"Not at all," said he. "When did he arrive? I hope you don't see anything
vulgar in that, mother," he made haste to add.

"He reached New York to-day, I think. He has been here to see me. He has
gone away. There is nothing more to be said, so please be good enough to
consider the subject--"

"Gee! but I'd like to have heard what he had to say to you!"

"I am glad that you didn't," said Anne, "for if you had you might have
been under the painful necessity of calling him to account for it, and I
don't believe you'd like that."

"Facetious, eh? Well, my mind is relieved at any rate. He spoke up like a
little man, didn't he, mother? I thought he would. And I'll bet you gave
him as good as he sent, so he's got his tail between his legs now and
yelping for mercy. How does he look, Anne? Handsome as ever?"

"Anne did not see him."

"Of course she didn't. How stupid of me. Where is he stopping?"

"With his grandfather, I suppose," said Mrs. Tresslyn, as tolerant as
possible.

"Naturally. I should have known that without asking. Getting the old boy
braced up for the wedding, I suppose. Pumping oxygen into him, and all
that sort of thing. And that reminds me of something else. I may give
myself the pleasure of a personal call upon my prospective brother-in-law
to-morrow."

"What?" cried his mother sharply.

"Yep," said George blithely. "I may have to do it. It's purely a business
matter, so don't worry. I shan't say a word about the wedding. Far be it
from me to distress an old gentleman about--"

"What business can you have with Mr. Thorpe?" demanded his mother.

"Well, as I don't believe in keeping secrets from you, mother, I'll
explain. You see, I want to see if I can't negotiate the sale of a
thousand dollar note. Mr. Thorpe may be in