Do you think I s'posed it was to see me and Joe and Hetty
you came to Kent Hill so often? No, sir! I see you had a hankering after
our little girl from the first."

Mr. Gilbert actually blushed. And he had guarded his precious secret so
carefully, he had thought.

"Well, Mr. Kent, I trust I have your approval?"

Reuben Kent stretched out his big brown paw, and grasped the lawyer's
white hand.

"I give her to you with all my heart, sir. I'd rather see her your wife
than the wife of the President. I've been hoping this long time it would
come to this. She's a good girl, as good as she's pretty, and I know
she'll make you a good wife."

Not one word of the honor done them or her by the wealthy lawyer's
offer--not one thought of it. In Reuben Kent's eyes no king or kaiser on
the wide earth would have been too good for his beautiful Norine.

"And when is it to be, sir?" he asked.

"The wedding?" smiled Mr. Gilbert. "The first week of June. If I
possibly can, I will run down here once or twice between this and then,
but I am doubtful of its being possible. I have neglected business
somewhat of late, and it has accumulated. You will tell your brother and
sister, Kent?"

They walked back to the house together to breakfast. Norine saw in her
uncle's face that he had been told, and blushed beautifully. How very,
very near and real, it seemed to bring it, this telling Uncle Reuben.

Mr. Gilbert took her out for a walk after breakfast, and Uncle Reuben
availed himself of the opportunity to inform his sister and brother.
They were no more surprised than he had been, and equally pleased, but
Aunt Hetty cried quietly, woman-fashion, for all that.

"We will miss her so much," she said; "the old house will seem like a
tomb without her. He is a good man, a rich man, and a gentleman--I
ought to rejoice for her sake, but it does seem hard at first to give
her up for good."

"These things will happen, Hetty," said Uncle Reuben, philosophically,
but sighing, too; "it's nater. We ought to think of nothing but the
Lord's goodness in giving her such a man as Mr. Gilbert for a husband."

So it was settled. When Norine came back from her walk, Aunt Hetty
kissed her, shook hands with the lawyer, and the betrothal was quietly
over. There was no scene, and no tears, but the good wishes for both,
were none the less heartfelt for that.

The day after to-morrow came. Mr. Gilbert went, and the preparations for
the wedding began. Norine'