oking out for now. I don't want any of
those people in Central Africa to suffer. That's the reason I want to
marry Alice at the earliest opportunity. But I suppose there'll have to
be a Mavering embassy to the high contracting powers of the other part
now?"

"Your father and one of the girls had better go down."

"Yes?"

"And invite Mr. and Mrs. Pasmer and their daughter to come up here."

"All on probation?"

"Oh no. If you're pleased, Dan--"

"I am, mother--measurably." They both laughed at this mild way of
putting it.

"Why, then it's to be supposed that we're all pleased. You needn't bring
the whole Pasmer family home to live with you, if you do marry them
all."

"No," said Dan, and suddenly he became very distraught. It flashed
through him that his mother was expecting him to come home with Alice
to live, and that she would not be at all pleased with his scheme of
a European sojourn, which Mrs. Pasmer had so cordially adopted. He
was amazed that he had not thought of that, but he refused to see any
difficulty which his happiness could not cope with.

"No, there's that view of it," he said jollily; and he buried his
momentary anxiety out of sight, and, as it were, danced upon its grave.
Nevertheless, he had a desire to get quickly away from the spot. "I hope
the Mavering embassy won't be a great while getting ready to go," he
said. "Of course it's all right; but I shouldn't want an appearance of
reluctance exactly, you know, mother; and if there should be much of an
interval between my getting back and their coming on, don't you know,
why, the cat might let herself out of the bag."

"What cat?" asked his mother demurely.

"Well, you know, you haven't received my engagement with unmingled
enthusiasm, and--and I suppose they would find it out from me--from my
manner; and--and I wish they'd come along pretty soon, mother."

"Poor boy! I'm afraid the cat got out of the bag when Mrs. Pasmer came
to the years of discretion. But you sha'n't be left a prey to her. They
shall go back with you. Ring the bell, and let's talk it over with them
now."

Dan joyfully obeyed. He could see that his mother was all on fire with
interest in his affair, and that the idea of somehow circumventing Mrs.
Pasmer by prompt action was fascinating her.

His sisters came up at once, and his father followed a moment later.
They all took their cue from the mother's gaiety, and began talking and
laughing, except the father, who sa