ot care to have my young man visit
so much in a house where there are marriageable young ladies. Do you think
she is aware of his frequent visits here?"

"What lady do you refer to, Louie?" turning from the mirror, where a
blushing face was too freely reflected.

"You know who I mean well enough! The lady that Gussie says he is going to
marry. I suppose you know that story as well as Gussie."

"Oh, yes; it is quite an old thing now. I have had it dinned into my ears
till I am tired, both of the story and the lady as well," she carelessly
replied.

"Oh, indeed!" said the laughing girl. "I suppose he has told you all about
her during one of your many interviews. When is the wedding to take place?"

"The exact time was never mentioned, Louie. If you feel very curious about
it, why not ask Mr. Traverse yourself. He might give you an invitation to
the wedding, you know."

"But, honestly, Dexie, does he ever talk to you about his future wife?"

"Certainly! why shouldn't he? Didn't Gussie tell you that he announced his
approaching marriage before the whole family?"

"Well, Dexie Sherwood, you can smile and smile and be--the young lady
yourself, after all," said Louie, not yet convinced, "and that ring looks
new, and I see no photograph of Hugh McNeil lying inside your favorite
book, so there!"

"Well, you might have seen one in the album if you had looked for it, you
silly girl. And how many new rings has Gussie had since you were home, and
yet I hear no word of her engagement!"

"That may be, my dear sister Dexie; but I have not seen any young man kiss
Gussie good-bye at the door, either; therefore I begin to think--"

What her thoughts might be upon the matter, Dexie did not give her time to
express, but disappeared from the room as suddenly as if the cry of "Fire"
had been raised in the house.

"Well, I may be mistaken; then, again, I may not," said Louie,
reflectively, as she found herself alone, "but appearances point to the
latter view. However, auntie says that 'circumstantial evidence is not
positive proof,' so I will wait for further developments. If it is so--all
right; if it is _not_ so, well--then I think they should not be _quite_ so
familiar when Dexie shows him out. He is quite a handsome young gentleman
and will make a distinguished-looking brother-in-law, and I am ready with
my approval and blessing as soon as they ask for it; but, by the way things
look to me, my approval and blessing have not be