ene. He addressed himself directly to his guest with a
torrent of rhodomontade; and the young man, reduced to helpless silence
and shy, nodded his head at intervals to show that he took an intelligent
interest. Mrs. Athelny paid no attention to Thorpe's conversation, but
interrupted now and then to offer the young man more tea or to press upon
him cake and jam. Philip watched Sally; she sat with downcast eyes, calm,
silent, and observant; and her long eye-lashes cast a pretty shadow on her
cheek. You could not tell whether she was amused at the scene or if she
cared for the young man. She was inscrutable. But one thing was certain:
the electrical engineer was good-looking, fair and clean-shaven, with
pleasant, regular features, and an honest face; he was tall and well-made.
Philip could not help thinking he would make an excellent mate for her,
and he felt a pang of envy for the happiness which he fancied was in store
for them.

Presently the suitor said he thought it was about time he was getting
along. Sally rose to her feet without a word and accompanied him to the
door. When she came back her father burst out:

"Well, Sally, we think your young man very nice. We are prepared to
welcome him into our family. Let the banns be called and I will compose a
nuptial song."

Sally set about clearing away the tea-things. She did not answer. Suddenly
she shot a swift glance at Philip.

"What did you think of him, Mr. Philip?"

She had always refused to call him Uncle Phil as the other children did,
and would not call him Philip.

"I think you'd make an awfully handsome pair."

She looked at him quickly once more, and then with a slight blush went on
with her business.

"I thought him a very nice civil-spoken young fellow," said Mrs. Athelny,
"and I think he's just the sort to make any girl happy."

Sally did not reply for a minute or two, and Philip looked at her
curiously: it might be thought that she was meditating upon what her
mother had said, and on the other hand she might be thinking of the man in
the moon.

"Why don't you answer when you're spoken to, Sally?" remarked her mother,
a little irritably.

"I thought he was a silly."

"Aren't you going to have him then?"

"No, I'm not."

"I don't know how much more you want," said Mrs. Athelny, and it was quite
clear now that she was put out. "He's a very decent young fellow and he
can afford to give you a thorough good home. We've got quite enough to
feed