himself such thoughts, for Eileen was fully posted on every move he
and Jim had made.

She came in on them one day with the brightness and impetuosity of
the June sun bursting through the early morning clouds over Blue Nose
Mountain, causing everything but the sun she emulated to stand
still for half an hour and breathe in the added sweetness in the
atmosphere.

All the hunger in Phil's being welled up at the very sight of her;
smart, neat, healthy, radiant, vivacious, and pretty as the bursting
red roses on her bosom.

He caught her two hands in his and looked down at her; and as she gave
a little pleasure-laugh far down in her throat, he almost drew her up
to his breast, when a cough from Jim startled him back to the cold
truth that he was in the open office of the Langford-Ralston Financial
Corporation, among half a dozen salesmen and as many stenographers.

Jim and Phil escorted Eileen into their private office, and there they
fired back their answers to her queries until she gasped in sheer
bewilderment at the tremendous success of their daring enterprise.

"And, oh, boys!--you're making good. I knew you would. Glad!--I'm so
glad, because you are just like two big brothers of mine."

"Now, Eileen," put in Jim, "kindly dispense with the 'brother' stuff.
You can't tell me that you are going to be a mere sister to both of
us."

She blushed.

"Does he know?" she queried at Phil.

"He thinks he does," said Phil. "I haven't told him a thing."

"Oh, haven't you?" remarked Jim.

"Shall we tell him, Phil?"

"Doesn't look as if he required any telling,--but go on, fire away!"

"Well!" she commenced, nodding her head and putting out her lips,
"some day--Phil and I--we two--both of us----"

"Yes! Yes! Go on!" hurried Jim in mock excitement.

She sighed and sat back.

"That's all! Just that, Jim!"

"Did you get it?" asked Phil, laughing.

Jim nodded quietly for a moment, then he bent over, with an expression
of almost motherly softness in his big, rugged face. He got Eileen's
hand in his left hand and Phil's in his right.

"The best of God's good luck!" he said quietly.

He looked at his watch. "I have an appointment at three o'clock.

"Why don't you take the lady for a spin, Phil?"

"Would you like to come, Eileen?" asked Phil.

"Would I? Oh, boy!"

Jim went over to her and put his hand on her shoulder as an older
brother would do. He tilted up her chin, bent down and kissed her on
the cheek.