his fall fishing?'
she said."

"Is that all?"

"It is a good deal for her," said Jane. "If you want more, ask her. Are
you less concerned for her happiness than we are? Must we arrange all
the preliminaries? Brother, if _I_ could do anything, no fear of
consequences or reproaches should tie my hands: I would do what is
right, and take the chances. If I stood where you do, I would have this
matter settled, or know why it could not be. I would never sit idle, and
see two such lives spoiled--and all our hearts broken. O, I know you
love them both. But you are so cautious--unnecessarily and absurdly so
at times, and wedded to useless diplomacy, when only the plain speech
you talk about is needed. You stand in awe of Clarice too much: you may
wait too long. Forgive me, Robert; but whatever she may say, you _must_
see Mr. Hartman before winter."

I could have embraced Jane, besides forgiving her slurs on me, which may
contain an element of truth. There is more in her than I have supposed;
and of course what she insists on is exactly what I have all along meant
to do. But it did not come in handy to say so at this point. "I'll think
it over. You two had better go to bed: I must go out and smoke."

"Robert," said Mabel, "don't go out to-night. You can smoke in the
dining-room."

"No; I'll not take a base advantage of your present amiable mood. But I
tell you what it is; if you want to get Hartman here in cold weather you
must let us have a snuggery. He can't do without his tobacco."

It was a fine night, and I wanted a walk as well as a smoke. I felt
gratified, for this thing had gone just as I desired. I am not quite so
impulsive as Jane, and I understand the difficulties as she does not;
but my plan has merely waited for events to give it definite shape and
make it feasible. Certainly I must see Hartman, and as he can't come
here, I must go there. But I wanted the women to suggest my going; that
divides the responsibility, and gives them a hand in the game. I would
have had to propose it myself within a week or so, if they had not
spoken. But the Princess knows what she is about, and what is fit and
proper. It may seem strange that she should speak to Mabel instead of to
me; but she will say what she has to say to me before I start. In fact,
I'll not start till she does--how could I? It is her business I am going
on, with just enough of my own to give it a color. I'll write to Jim at
once, to ask when he wants me: the