an' thanked me for the offer, an' gave me
the young man's address. He was a Russian by the name of Alexander
Rolanoff, an' Sam insisted that he belonged to a very old family of
large means an' noble blood, an' said that the young man would be
in Pointview that summer. I wrote to the mayor of the city in
which he was said to live, but got no answer.

"Alexander came. He was a costly an' beautiful young man, about
thirty years old, with red cheeks an' curly hair an' polished
finger-nails, an' wrote poetry. Sometimes ye meet a man that
excites yer worst suspicions. Your right hand no sooner lets go o'
his than it slides down into your pocket to see if anything has
happened; or maybe you take the arm o' yer wife or yer daughter an'
walk away. Aleck leaned a little in both directions. But, sir,
Sam didn't care to know my opinion of him. Never said another word
to me on the subject, but came again to ask about the money.

"'Look here, Sam,' I says. 'You tell Lizzie that I want to have a
talk with her at four o'clock in this office? If she really wants
to buy this man, I'll see what can be done about it.'

"'All right, you talk with her,' says he, an' went out.

"In a few minutes Dan showed up.

"'Have you seen Lizzie?' says I.

"'Not to speak to her,' says Dan. 'Looks fine, doesn't she?'

"'Beautiful!'I says. 'How is Marie Benson?'

"'Oh, the second time I went to see her she was trying to keep up
with Lizzie,' says he. 'She's changed her gait. Was going to New
York after a lot o' new frills. I suppose she thought that I
wanted a grand lady. That's the trouble with all the girls here.
A man might as well marry the real thing as an imitation. I wish
Lizzie would get down off her high horse.'

"'She's goin' to swap him for one with still longer legs,' I says.
'Lizzie is engaged to a gentleman o' fortune in the old country.'

"Dan's face began to stretch out long as if it was made of
injy-rubber.

"'It's too bad,' says he. 'Lizzie is a good-hearted girl, if she is
spoilt.'

"'Fine girl!' I says. 'An', Dan, I was in hopes that she would
discover her own folly before it was too late. But she saw that
others had begun to push her in the race an' that she had to let
out another link or fall behind.'

"'Well, I wish her happiness,' says Dan, with a sigh.

"'Go an' tell her so,' I says. 'Show her that you have some care
as to whether she lives or dies.'

"I could see that his feelin's had been hon