very like my father. "That I have stolen away
this old man's daughter--" Somehow it seemed very Othelloish. I decided
to simply tell Dr. Farr, calmly and reasonably, that Desire and I had
decided to marry. I did tell him. I was calm and reasonable. But he
wasn't.

There is a bit of sound tactics which says, "Never let the enemy
surprise you." But how is one to keep him from doing it if he insists?
The surer you are that the enemy is going to do a certain thing, the
more surprised you are when he doesn't. Now I felt sure that when Dr.
Farr heard the news he would have a fit. I expected him to use language
and even his umbrella. But nothing of this kind happened. He simply sat
there like a slightly faded and vague old gentleman and said
"So?"--just like that.

I assured him, as delicately as possible that it was so.

Then, without warning, he began to weep. John, it was horrible! I can't
describe it. You would have to see his blurred old face and depthless
eyes before you could understand. Tears are healthy, normal things.
They were never meant for faces like his. I must have said something,
in a kind of horror, for he got up suddenly and trotted off into the
woods, without as much as a whisper.

It looked like an easy victory. But I knew it wasn't. I admit that I
felt rather sorry we had not eloped. Li Ho made me still sorrier.

"Not much good, you make honorable Boss cly," said Li Ho. "Gettie mad
heap better."

I felt that, as usual, Li Ho was right. And, just here, let me
interpose that I am quite sure Li Ho can speak perfectly good English
if he wishes. He certainly understands it. I have tried to puzzle him
often by measured and academic speech and never yet has he missed the
faintest shade of meaning. So I did not waste time with Pigeon English.
I told him the facts briefly.

"Me no likee," said Li Ho.

"You don't have to," said I.

Li Ho explained that it was not the contemplated marriage which
received his disapproval but the circumstances surrounding it. "Me
muchy glad Missy get mallied," said he. "Ladies so do, velly nice! When
you depart to go?"

"Tomorrow," I said. Since we had given up the elopement it seemed more
dignified to wait and depart by daylight.

Li Ho shook his head.

"You no wait tomolla," said he, "You go tonight. You go click."

"We can't go too quickly to suit me," I said. "It is for Miss Desire to
decide."

"Me tell Missy," he said and hurried away.

Somehow, Li Ho always