eaming with
maternal benevolence; "permit me to ask to which of them do you refer
in particular?"

"To all three of them," replied the American cheerfully.

"That is very kind of you," she retorted, without, however, the
faintest tinge of sarcasm. "I know, even though it is their own mother
who says it, that my daughters all deserve the admiration which you so
impartially bestow upon them. But the fact is, Mr. Grover--why should
I not be perfectly frank and open with you?--the fact is--no man can
marry three girls," she finished rather lamely. She evidently lacked
courage to make the revelation which she at first contemplated.

"I am well aware of that, Frau Professorin," was Grover's somewhat
aimless response; "and I assure you," he went on heartily, "that I
wouldn't think of such a thing; no, not for all the world."

He had an uncomfortable sensation about his ears, after having made
this laudable announcement, and he began to cast about for a pretext
for taking his leave. His hostess was, however, not disposed to let
him escape so easily.

"The Professor and I," she remarked, blandly, "have observed with much
satisfaction your devotion to our daughters. We know you to be a man
of character, and we know that it would be far from your intentions to
trifle with the feelings of the dear, innocent and unsophisticated
creatures. But our German custom, as you may not be aware, is to
confine one's courtship to one, and not to scatter one's devotion
among too many. In other countries that may be different, but as you
have come here to learn German manners, I thought I would call your
attention to this, and ask you to tell me, in strict confidence, of
course, to which one of my daughters you are paying your addresses."

If the ceiling had tumbled down over his head, Grover could not have
been more astonished. It was a fact, he had been almost a daily
visitor in the Professor's house; he had very likely, in unguarded
moments, in order to practice his imperfect German, made complimentary
speeches to the three young ladies, individually and collectively;
and in all probability he had, from a German point of view, given the
Frau Professorin the right to talk to him as she did. And yet, to
submit readily to the consequences of his rash conduct did not for a
moment occur to him. His instinct bade him rather resort to a
stratagem, which, as he concluded, the dire necessity would justify.

"Frau Professorin," he began solemnly