y. "We'll go together."

"Then wait until I get my hat," and she danced away, the happiest girl
in Ithaca.

On the way down the street, although he responded with dutiful
tenderness to his companion's conversation, his mind was busy with the
same old question: What should he do about Tess? If he could tell
Madelene, or perhaps it would be easier to make Ebenezer understand his
position.

But before he came to a decision, they met Mr. Waldstricker coming out
of the First National Bank on Tioga Street. He looked very prosperous,
very powerful, as he stood smilingly waiting for them.

"We were just coming to see you, Eb," said Madelene, blushing.
"Frederick--well, we both wanted to speak to you."

"All right, little girl," Waldstricker said pleasantly. "If it is
something special, we can go to the office; or perhaps you can tell me
here."

Hoping to gain courage by further respite Frederick suggested,

"We'd better go to the office, I think."

But Madelene was too full of her new happiness to brook any more delay.

"Oh, you men!" she exclaimed. "Don't be so formal and business-like!"
She took hold of one of her brother's hands, while she held Frederick
possessively by the arm. "We came to make an announcement and receive
your congratulations, and I want them now."

"So that's it?" chuckled her brother, smiling into her shining eyes.
"Well, I _am_ pleased! And I do congratulate you both, heartily. Fred,
run into the office in about an hour, I want to talk to you."

Frederick brightened.

"And I want to talk to you," he answered.

He swung to Madelene's side, drew a long breath and made a quick
resolution that before long he would make his confession to Ebenezer.

At the appointed time, Frederick entered Waldstricker's office. He'd
resolved to make a clean breast of his marriage to Tess. But without
giving him a chance to say anything more than "Hello, Ebenezer," that
gentleman began,

"Glad to see you! Sit down.... So you think you want to join my family,
do you? I suppose you know you're asking a great deal, when you haven't
any money or any profession, either. But then, my sister's fond of you,
and that means a lot. Fortunately, she has enough money so that you need
not worry about that. The question is, can you make her happy?"

He paused. Frederick fingered his hat, let it slide to the floor, and
picked it up before answering.

"Mr. Waldstricker, I think ... I want first ... I can't ... You see...."