delightful, the most charming business opportunity you ever saw.
You must go out with us to-morrow and look at it. Sam's going to build
a lake and call it Lake Jo. You know where that little stream is
between here and Meadow Brook? Well, that's the place. We found out
this morning what a delightful spot it would make for a lake and a big
summer resort hotel, and at noon Sam bought the property, and we have
been planning it all afternoon. He's bought it outright and he's going
to capitalize it for a quarter of a million dollars. How much stock
are you going to take in it?"

"How much what?"

"How many shares of stock are you going to take in it? You must speak
up quickly, because it's going to be a favor to you for us to let you
in."

"Well, I don't know," said Mr. Stevens, resisting a sudden desire to
guffaw. "I'd have to look it over first before I decide to invest.
Sounds like a sort of wild-eyed scheme to me. Besides that, I already
have a good big block of stock in one of Sam Turner's enterprises."

"Oh, yes," she said, puckering her brows. "Are you going to vote your
pulp stock with his?"

Mr. Stevens' eyes twinkled, but his tone was conservative gravity
itself.

"Well, since it's a purely business deal it would not be a very wise
thing to do; and though Sam Turner is a mighty fine boy, I don't think
I shall."

"But you will!" she vigorously protested. "Why, father, you wouldn't
for a minute vote against your own son-in-law!"

"No, I wouldn't!" declared Mr. Stevens emphatically, and suddenly drew
her to him and kissed her; and she clung about his neck half laughing
and half crying.

Do you suppose there is anything in telepathy? It would seem so, for
it was at this moment that Sam stepped up on the porch. They in the
parlor heard his voice, and Mr. Stevens immediately slipped out the
back way in order not to be _de trop_ a second time. Now Sam could not
possibly have known what had been said in the parlor, and yet when he
found his way in there, he and Miss Josephine, without any palaver
about it, without exchanging a solitary word, or scarcely even a look,
just naturally fell into each other's arms. Neither one of them made
the first move. It just somehow happened, and they stood there and
held and held and held that embrace; and whatever foolishness they said
and did in the next hour is none of your business nor of mine; but
later in the evening, when they were sitting quietly in the d