nt into the back room.

How sweet it is to prepare one's self deliberately for good news! Billy,
in a glow of joy, lighted his pipe, moved his chair close to the
fireplace, for the day was cold, and gave the word of command--"Go
ahead!"

Dic told him all that had happened in Miss Tousy's parlor, omitting, of
course, to mention the blank hour, and added: "I had a letter from Rita
this morning, and she feels as I do, that we are very cruel; but she
says she would rather be selfish and happy than unselfish and miserable,
which, as you know, is not at all true. She couldn't be selfish if she
were to try."

"Good little brain in that little head," exclaimed Billy. "There never
was a better. But, as you say, she's wrong in charging herself with
selfishness. I believe she has more common sense, more virtue, more
tenderness, gentleness, beauty, and unselfishness than any other girl in
the world."

Dic laughed, very much pleased with his friend's comments upon Rita. "I
believe you are in love with her yourself."

The shaft unintentionally struck centre and Billy's scalp blushed as he
haltingly remarked, "Well, I suppose you're right." Then after a long
pause--"Maxwelton's braes, um, um, um." Another long pause ensued,
during which Billy knocked the ashes from his pipe against the wall of
the fireplace, poked the back-log, and threw on two or three large
pieces of wood.

"I don't mind telling you," he said, chuckling with laughter, "that I
was almost in love with her at one time. She was so perfect--had the
same name, face, and disposition of--of another that--Jove! I was
terribly jealous of you."

"Nonsense," answered Dic, with a great pleased laugh.

"Of course it was nonsense. I knew it then and know it now; but when,
let me ask you, had nonsense or any other kind of sense anything to do
with a man falling in love?"

"I think it the most sensible thing a man can do," answered Dic, out of
the fulness of his cup of youth.

"Has it made you happy?"

"Yes, and no."

"But mostly no?" responded the cynic.

"Yes, Billy Little, so far it's been mostly no; but the time will come
when I will be very happy because of it."

"Not if you can help it. We will see how it turns out in the end."

"Billy Little, you are the greatest croaker I ever knew," observed Dic,
testily.

"It is better to croak early than to sing too soon. But what do you
want?"

"I want to know again what I shall do about Sukey since this new chang