t it's usual to speak with
her--with the lady herself first, but--I don't know! The circumstances
are peculiar. You only know about me what you've seen of me, and I would
rather make my mistakes in the order that seems right to me, although it
isn't just the American way."

He smiled rather piteously, and the judge said, rather encouragingly, "I
don't quite know whether I follow you."

Breckon blushed, and sought help in what remained of his coffee. "The
way isn't easy for me. But it's this: I ask your leave to ask Miss Ellen
to marry me." The worst was over now, and looked as if it were a relief.
"She is the most beautiful person in the world to me, and the best; but
as you know so little of me, I thought it right to get your leave--to
tell you--to--to--That is all." He fell back in his chair and looked a
at Kenton.

"It is unusual," the judge began.

"Yes, Yes; I know that. And for that reason I speak first to you. I'll
be ruled by you implicitly."

"I don't mean that," Kenton said. "I would have expected that you would
speak to her first. But I get your point of view, and I must say I think
you're right. I think you are behaving--honorably. I wish that every one
was like you. But I can't say anything now. I must talk with her mother.
My daughter's life has not been happy. I can't tell you. But as far as I
am concerned, and I think Mrs. Kenton, too, I would be glad--We like you
Mr. Breckon. We think you are a good man.

"Oh, thank you. I'm not so sure--"

"We'd risk it. But that isn't all. Will you excuse me if I don't say
anything more just yet--and if I leave you?"

"Why, certainly." The judge had risen and pushed back his chair, and
Breckon did the same. "And I shall--hear from you?"

"Why, certainly," said the judge in his turn.

"It isn't possible that you put him off!" his wife reproached him, when
he told what had passed between him and Breckon. "Oh, you couldn't have
let him think that we didn't want him for her! Surely you didn't!"

"Will you get it into your head," he flamed back, "that he hasn't spoken
to Ellen yet, and I couldn't accept him till she had?"

"Oh yes. I forgot that." Mrs. Kenton struggled with the fact, in the
difficulty of realizing so strange an order of procedure. "I suppose
it's his being educated abroad that way. But, do go back to him, Rufus,
and tell him that of course--"

"I will do nothing of the kind, Sarah! What are you thinking of?"

"Oh, I don't know what I'm thi