e you'll concur with me in it."

He glanced from the cobbler to his wife, and Lafe replied,

"You've been too kind already, Mr. King----"

"It isn't a question of kindness, my dear Mr. Grandoken. As I've told
you before, I'm very much interested in your niece."

Bobbie slipped from Mrs. Grandoken and went close to the speaker.

"She's my Jinnie," breathed the boy with a saintly smile.

Theodore laughed.

"Yes, I know that, my lad, but you want her to be happy, don't you?"

"She is happy," interjected Lafe, trembling.

"You might tell us your plan," broke in Peg sourly, who always desired
to get the worst over quickly.

"Well, it is to send her away to school for a few years."

Bobbie gave a little cry and staggered to Peg, holding out his hands.
She picked him up, with bitterness depicted in her face. But when she
looked at her husband she was shocked, for he was leaning against the
wall, breathing deeply.

"I knew the thought of letting her go would affect you, Mr.
Grandoken," soothed Theodore. "That's why I came alone. Jinnie's so
tender-hearted I feared the sight of your first grief might cause her
to refuse."

"Does she know you was goin' to ask us this?" demanded Peg
suspiciously.

Mr. King shook his head.

"Of course not! If she had, she and I would have asked it together."

"God bless 'er!" murmured Lafe. "You see it's like this, sir: Peg and
me don't want to stand in her light."

"I won't let my Jinnie go," sighed Bobbie. "I haven't any stars when
she's gone."

"The poor child's devoted to her," excused Lafe. "That's what makes
him act so about it."

Theodore's sympathy forced him to his feet.

"So I see," said he. "Come here, young man! I want to talk to you a
minute."

Reluctantly Bobbie left Mrs. Grandoken, and Theodore, sitting again,
took him on his knee.

"Now, Bobbie, look at me."

Bobbie turned up a wry, tearful face.

"I've got my eyes on you, sir," he wriggled.

"That's right! Don't you want your Jinnie to learn a lot of things and
be a fine young lady?"

"She is a fine young lady now," mumbled Bobbie stubbornly, "and she's
awful pretty."

"True," acquiesced Theodore, much amused, "but she must study a lot
more."

"Lafe could learn her things," argued Bobbie, sitting up very
straight. "Lafe knows everything."

Mr. King smiled and glanced at the cobbler, but Lafe's face was so
drawn and white that Theodore looked away again. He couldn't make it
seem right that he