or where it is."

"No."

"Well, it looks just like it sounds. We got a little house, and the old
lady is happy, and I feel so good that I can even stand her cookin'. Of
course, we ain't makin' much money, but I guess I'm getting a little
old-fashioned around theatres, anyway. The fellows from newspapers and
colleges have got it on me. Last time I asked a man for a job he asked
me what I knew about the Greek drama, and when I told him I didn't know
the Greeks had a theatre in New York, he slipped me a laugh and told me
to come in again on some rainy Tuesday. Then Gallipolis showed on the
map, and I beat it for the West."

Noticing that his words had hurt her, he stopped, and in an embarrassed
kind of way went on:

"Sorry if I hurt ye--didn't mean to; and now that yer goin' to be Mrs.
Brockton, well, I take back all I said, and while I don't think I want
to change my position, I wouldn't turn it down for--for that other
reason, that's all."

"But, Mr. Weston, I'm not going to be Mrs. Brockton!" she cried hastily,
with a note of defiance in her voice.

"No?" he exclaimed in surprise.

"No."

"Oh--oh----"

"I'm going to marry another man, and a good man."

"The h--ll you are!"

She rose and put her hand on his shoulder. Gently, she said:

"It's going to be altogether different. I know what you meant when you
said about the missis and the kids, and that's what I want--just a
little home, just a little peace, just a little comfort, and--and the
man has come who's going to give it to me. You don't want me to say any
more, do you?"

"No, I don't," he said emphatically, in a tone of hearty approval; "and
now I'm just going to put my mit out and shake yours and be real glad.
I want to tell ye it's the only way to go along. I ain't never been a
rival to Rockefeller, nor I ain't never made Morgan jealous, but since
the day my old woman took her make-up off for the last time and walked
out of that stage door to give me a little help and bring my kids into
the world, I knew that was the way to go along; and if you're goin' to
take that road, by Jiminy, I'm glad of it, for you sure do deserve it.
I wish yer luck."

"Thank you."

"I'm mighty glad you sidestepped Brockton," he went on. "You're young,
and you're pretty, and you're sweet, and if you've got the right kind
of a feller, there ain't no reason on earth why you shouldn't jest
forgit the whole business and see nothin' but laughs and a good time
comin' to yo