matical response. And Mr.
Starr muttered something about women and geometry and went away, shaking
his head. And Aunt Grace smiled again.

But the months passed away. Lark, not too absorbed in her own happiness
to find room for her twin's affairs, at last grew troubled. She and Aunt
Grace often held little conferences together when Carol was safely out
of the way.

"Whatever do you suppose is the matter?" Lark would wonder anxiously. To
which her aunt always answered patiently, "Oh, just wait. He isn't sure
she's grown-up enough yet."

Then there came a quiet night when Carol and Mr. Duke sat in the
living-room, idly discussing the weather, and looking at Connie who was
deeply immersed in a book on the other side of the big reading lamp.
Conversation between them lagged so noticeably that they sighed with
relief when she finally laid down her book, and twisted around in her
chair until she had them both in full view.

"Books are funny," she began brightly. "I don't believe half the written
stuff ever did happen--I don't believe it could. Do girls ever propose,
Mr. Duke?"

"No one ever proposed to me," he answered, laughing.

"No?" she queried politely. "Maybe no one wanted you badly enough. But I
wonder if they ever do? Writers say so. I can't believe it somehow. It
seems so--well--unnecessary, someway. Carol and I were talking about it
this afternoon."

Carol looked up startled.

"What does Carol think about it?" he queried.

"Well, she said she thought in ordinary cases girls were clever enough
to get what they wanted without asking for it."

Carol moved restlessly in her chair, her face drooping a little, and Mr.
Duke laughed.

"Of course, I know none of our girls would do such a thing," said
Connie, serene in her family pride. "But Carol says she must admit she'd
like to find some way to make a man say what anybody could see with half
an eye he wanted to say anyhow, only--"

Connie stopped abruptly. Mr. Duke had turned to Carol, his keen eyes
searching her face, but Carol sank in the big chair and turned her face
away from him against the leather cushion.

"Connie," she said, "of course no girl would propose, no girl would want
to--I was only joking--"

Mr. Duke laughed openly then. "Let's go and take a walk, shan't we,
Carol? It's a grand night."

"You needn't go to get rid of me," said Connie, rising. "I was just
going anyhow."

"Oh, don't go," said Mr. Duke politely.

"Don't go," echoed Ca