he is not here to preside at dinner as the
chaperon of you young people."

Lucy and her lover glanced at one another in surprise. This light and
airy tone was a new one for the Professor to take. Instead of being
angry, he seemed to be unusually gay, and looked at them in quite a
jocular manner for a dry-as-dust scientist.

"We waited dinner for her, father," ventured Lucy timidly.

"Then I am ready to eat it," announced Braddock. "I am extremely hungry,
my dear. I can't live on love, you know."

"Live on love?" Lucy stared, and Archie laughed quietly.

"Oh yes, you may smile and look astonished;" went on the Professor
good-humoredly, "but science does not destroy the primeval instincts
entirely. Lucy, my dear," he took her hand and patted it, "while in
London and in lodgings, it was borne in upon me forcibly how lonely I
was and how lonely I would be when you married our young friend yonder.
I had intended to come down to-morrow, but to-night, such was my feeling
of loneliness that I considered favorably your idea that I should find a
second helpmate in Mrs. Jasher. I have always had a profound admiration
for that lady, and so--on the spur of the moment, as I may say--I
decided to come down this evening and propose."

"Oh," Lucy clapped her hands, very well satisfied with the unexpected
news, "and have you?"

"Mrs. Jasher," said the Professor gravely, "did me the honor to promise
to become my wife this evening."

"She will become your wife this evening?" said Archie, smiling.

Braddock, with one of those odd twists of humor which were
characteristic of him, became irascible.

"Confound it, sir, don't I speak English," he snapped, with his eyes
glaring rebuke. "She promised this evening to become Mrs. Braddock.
We shall marry--so we have arranged--in the springtime, which is the
natural pairing season for human beings as well as for birds. And I am
glad to say that Mrs. Jasher takes a deep interest in archaeology."

"And, what is more, she is a splendid housekeeper," said Lucy.

The temporary anger of the Professor vanished. He drew his step-daughter
towards him and kissed her on the cheek.

"I believe that I have to thank you for putting the idea into my head,"
said he, "and also--if Mrs. Jasher is to be believed--for aiding her
to see the mutual advantage it would be to both of us to marry. Ha," he
released Lucy and rubbed his hands, "let us go to dinner."

"I am very glad," said Miss Kendal heartily.