omething had occurred to delay the actual possession.

"I came to see Dorothy, and for no other purpose," he said. "I haven't
the slightest desire or intention to offend her relatives."

If Robinson and his wife understood the hint that he would be pleased
to see Dorothy alone, they failed to act upon it.

"We'll take your future operations as our guide," said Mr. Robinson
significantly. "Protestations cost nothing."

Mrs. Robinson, far more shrewd than her husband, in her way, had begun
to realize that Garrison was not a man either to be frightened or
bullied.

"I'm sure we shall all be friends," she said. "What's the use of
fighting? If, as Mr. Fairfax says, he did not marry Dorothy for
money----"

Her husband interrupted. "I don't believe it! Will you tell me, Mr.
Fairfax, that when you married my niece you were not aware of her
prospects?"

"I knew absolutely nothing of her prospects," said Garrison, who
thought he foresaw some money struggle impending. "She can tell you
that up to the present moment I have never asked her a word concerning
her financial status or future expectations."

"Why don't you tell us you never knew she had an uncle?" demanded
Robinson, with no abatement of acidity.

"As a matter of fact," replied Garrison, "I have never known the name
of any of Dorothy's relations till to-night."

"This is absurd!" cried the aggravated Mr. Robinson. "Do you mean to
tell me----"

Garrison cut in upon him with genuine warmth. He was fencing blindly
in Dorothy's behalf, and instinct was guiding him with remarkable
precision.

"I should think you might understand," he said, "that once in a while a
young woman, with a natural desire to be esteemed for herself alone,
might purposely avoid all mention both of her relatives and prospects."

"We've all heard about these marriages for love," sneered Dorothy's
uncle. "Where did you suppose she got this house?"

Garrison grew bolder as he felt a certain confidence that so far he had
made no particular blunders. His knowledge of the value of half a
truth, or even the truth entire, was intuitive.

"I have never been in this house before tonight," he said. "Our
'honeymoon,' as you called it earlier, has, as you know, been brief,
and none of it was spent beneath this roof."

"Then how did you know where to come?" demanded Mr. Robinson.

"Dorothy supplied me the address," answered Garrison. "It is not
uncommon, I believe, for husband and w