And why not, pray, if I could induce her to accept me?"

"Great Heavens!" cried Flint; "has it gone so far as that?"

"Yes, it has," answered Brady, as defiantly as though Flint had
represented his whole family circle; "and if she will marry me I shall
be a proud and happy man."

"And your relatives,--the Bradfords and Standishes and all?"

"Plymouth Rock may fall on them for all I care," exclaimed Brady.

"And how about the tambourines and torches?"

Brady colored a little, but he stood his ground manfully.

"I shall never presume to dictate," he answered. "I will go my way and
she shall go hers; and if I can lend a helping hand to any of the poor
wretches she is trying to save, I shall do it, if I have to take off
my kid gloves and get down into the gutter, as many a better man has
done before me."

"Well," answered Flint, "if that is the way you take it I have nothing
more to say. But if you don't object I would like to be present when
you announce the engagement to Miss Standish."

"Miss Standish be hanged!" cried Brady. "It is a question of Miss
Costello, I tell you. My only anxiety lies right there. If you had
ever been in love you would know how it feels."

"I can imagine," Flint answered, taking up his pipe and looking
scrutinizingly into the bowl; "I have read about it in books. But
come! if we are going to the rally we must be about it. It is nearly
eight by my watch. How long is the confounded thing--excuse me--I mean
the gospel gathering?"

"If you are going to make fun of it, Flint, you would better stay at
home," said Brady, stiffly.

"No, no, forgive me, Brady! I meant nothing of the kind; it is my
accursed habit of joking when I am in earnest, and being so solemn
when I try to be funny that I am never in harmony with the occasion.
Go on; I will close the door. I ought not to go, for I half expect
Brooke of the Magazine. No matter; I will leave word for him."

As they passed the janitor, Flint said, "I shall be back by ten. If
any one comes to see me you have the key of my rooms, and let any
visitor come in and wait."

"All right, sir!"

"And see that the fire is kept up."

"Yes, sir."

Flint shivered as he passed out of the warm, heavily carpeted halls
into the chilly night of late November.

"To-morrow will be Thanksgiving, won't it?" Brady observed.

"Yes, and judging by the number of turkeys on this avenue there will
be no family without one. I heard last year of a poor widow w