The professor, he's kind of
old, his roof leaks consider'ble, and this trouble is likely to hurry
the end along.

"'Now, then,' Nate goes on, 'Augustus, my boy, what are you and that
simple, childlike girl goin' to do with all that money? How are you
goin' to take care of it? You and 'Livia--you mustn't mind my callin'
her that 'cause she's goin' to be one of the family so soon--you'll
want to be fussin' with science and such, and you won't have no time
to attend to the finances. You'll need a good, safe person to be your
financial manager. Well, you know me and you know your Aunt Huldy Ann.
WE know all about financin'; WE'VE had experience. You just let us
handle the bonds and coupons and them trifles. We'll invest 'em for you.
We'll be yours and 'Livia's financial managers. As for our wages, maybe
they'll seem a little high, but that's easy arranged. And--'

"Gus interrupted then. 'Oh, that's all settled,' he says. 'Olivia and I
have planned all that. When we're married we shall devote our lives to
social work--to settlement work. All the money we ever get we shall use
to help the poor. WE don't want any of it. We shall live AMONG the poor,
live just as frugally as they do. Our money we shall give--every cent of
it--to charity and--'

"'Lord sakes!' yells Nate, 'DON'T talk that way! Don't! Be you crazy,
too? Why--'

"But Gus went on, talkin' a steady streak about livin' in a little
tenement in what he called the 'slums' and chuckin' the money to this
tramp and that, till Nate's head was whirlin'. 'Twa'n't no joke. He
meant it and so did she, and they was just the pair of loons to do it,
too.

"Afore Nate had a chance to think up anything sensible to say, Olivia
comes hollerin' for Gus to hurry. Off he went, and Nate followed
along, holdin' his head and staggerin' like a voter comin' home from a
political candidate's picnic. All he could think of was: 'THIS the end
of all my plannin'! What--WHAT'LL Huldy Ann say to THIS?'

"Nate found the professor bolstered up in his chair, with the other
two standin' alongside. He was layin' down the law about that blessed
aeroplane.

"'No! no! NO! I tell you!' he roars, 'I'll see no doctor. My invention
is ready at last, and, if I'm goin' to die, I'll die successful.
Tolliver, you've been a faithful worker with me, and yours shall be the
privilege of makin' the first flight. Wheel me to the window, Olivia,
and let me see my triumph.'

"But Olivia didn't move. Instead, sh