t follow it. You would not like to give up all you--hope
for--and become like--some we know?"

"God forbid!"

"And I say, 'Amen.' And if you would, I would not be willing to have you
do it. You are too much to me--I honor you too much," she corrected
quickly, as she caught the expression in his face. "I could not let you
sink into a--society man--like--some of those I sit next to and dance
with and drive with and--enjoy and despise. Do I not know that if you
loved me you would have convinced me of it in a moment? You have not
convinced me. You are in love,--as you said just now,--but not with me.
You are in love with Lois Huntington."

Keith almost staggered. It was so direct and so exactly what his thought
had been just now. But he said:

"Oh, nonsense! Lois Huntington considers me old enough to be her
grandfather. Why, she--she is engaged to or in love with Dr. Locaman."

"She is not," said Mrs. Lancaster, firmly, "and she never will be. If
you go about it right she will marry you." She added calmly: "I hope she
will, with all my heart."

"Marry me! Lois Huntington! Why--"

"She considers me her grandmother, perhaps; but not you her grandfather.
She thinks you are much too young for me. She thinks you are the most
wonderful and the best and most charming man in the world."

"Oh, nonsense!"

"I do not know where she got such an idea--unless you told her so
yourself," she said, with a smile.

"I would like her to think it," said Keith, smiling; "but I have
studiously avoided divulging myself in my real and fatal character."

"Then she must have got it from the only other person who knows you in
your true character."

"And that is--?"

She looked into his eyes with so amused and so friendly a light in her
own that Keith lifted her hand to his lips.

"I do not deserve such friendship."

"Yes, you do; you taught it to me."

He sat back in his chair, trying to think. But all he could think of was
how immeasurably he was below both these women.

"Will you forgive me?" he said suddenly, almost miserably. He meant to
say more, but she rose, and at the moment he heard a step behind him. He
thought her hand touched his head for a second, and that he heard her
answer, "Yes"; but he was not sure, for just then Mrs. Rhodes spoke to
them, and they all three had to pretend that they thought nothing
unusual had been going on.

They received their mail next day, and were all busy reading letters,
when Mrs. Rhode