to tears he knelt and caught her in his
arms.

"Dolly--Dolly!" he said in a choking voice. "What is your name?"

"Dolly." The tears came slowly.

"Whose girl are you?"

"I'm Billy McAllen's girl." The tears ceased.

"All of you?"

"All of me.... Oh, Billy--love me always--only love me...."

And for these two the afternoon dragged slowly on, and very much as
usual.

"You are two days ahead of schedule, David. I'm glad to see you."

Though Uriah Grey's smile was bland and simple, beneath it lay a
complicated maze of speculation; and the old man endeavored to read in
the young man's face the answers to those questions which so greatly
concerned him. Uriah Grey's eyesight was famous for two things: for its
miraculous, almost chemical ability to detect the metals in ore and the
gold in men. He sighed; but not so that David could hear. The magnate
detected happiness where less than two weeks before he had read doubt,
hesitation, and a kind of dumb misery.

"You have had a pleasant holiday?"

"A happy one, Mr. Grey." David's eyes twinkled and sparkled.

"Tell me about it."

"Well, sir, I paid my debts and got back my collateral."

"Well, sir?"

"I tasted whiskey," said David. "I lighted a cigarette, I registered a
bet of two cents upon the weather, and I made love."

Uriah Grey with difficulty suppressed a moan.

"Did you!" he said dully.

"Yes," said David. "I kissed the glove upon a lady's hand." He laughed.
"It smelled of gasoline," he said.

Mr. Grey grunted.

"And what are your plans?"

"What!" cried David offendedly. "Are you through with me?"

"No, my boy--no."

David hesitated.

"Mr. Grey," he began, and paused.

"Well, sir?"

"It is now lawful for me to make love," said David; "but I should do so
with a better grace if I had your permission and approval."

Mr. Grey was puzzled.

"What have I to do with it?"

"You have a granddaughter...."

"What!" thundered the old man. "You want to make love to my
granddaughter!"

"Yes," said David boldly, "and I wonder what you are going to say."

"I have only one word to say--Hurry!"

"David!"

Spools of silk rattled from her lap to the floor. She was frankly and
childishly delighted to see him again, and she hurried to him and gave
him both her hands. But he looked so happy that her heart misgave her
for a moment, and then she read his eyes aright, just as long since he
must have read the confession in hers. At this juncture in t