"You young fool," said the judge after a minute, "is that where you
were philandering when you ought to have been courting Edna?"

"You've guessed right again."

The judge's thin hand clung to the young, firm one, and he tried in
vain to hold his lips steady.

"But Sylvia has started on a career. I'm told she paints excellent
miniatures."

"I want her to paint mine the rest of her life," said Dunham. "I don't
know what she'll say; but--haven't I your blessing, Judge?"

The lawyer shook the hand he clasped.

"You're a great fool, John," he said tenderly. "You don't know enough
to"--he paused, and, dropping John's hand, hurried from the office,
slamming the door behind him.

CHAPTER XXXIII

"LOVE ALONE WILL STAY"

"It never ought to rain in June," said Sylvia.

She had just alighted from the train, and was in Thinkright's arms as
she said it.

"I had set my heart on just such a drive with you as we had the first
time I came."

"This will be far better than that was, Sylvia." He held her off at
arm's length, and viewed her deliberately. "We had the sunshine outside
that day. This time it's inside."

He could see it while he spoke, shining out through blue eyes and
smiling lips, as the girl looked long into his face.

"It seems to me you are a rather elegant person to be clinging to an
old farmer like me," he went on.

"Have I changed, Thinkright? You haven't. Oh, I'm so glad!"

"Yes, you have changed, little one. I'm looking at you, trying to find
out how."

"I'm awfully well dressed, for one thing," whispered Sylvia, laughing.
"Edna would have it. She's made Uncle Calvin pay bills that I'm sure
must have shocked him. Yes, I know my things look simple, but they're
right; and oh, how you do have to pay for millinery rightness, _a
la_ Edna!"

"Well, I think the loafers have stared at you enough," said Thinkright.
"Let's get into the wagon. I've brought a rubber coat for you, but very
likely it'll be clear before we get home. Why," with sudden perception,
"I know what has happened; your curls are gone."

"No, no, not gone, only promoted. I'm going to say good-by to this very
proper hat for three months, and I think I'll begin now. It would be a
tragedy if it should get wet."

While they still stood under the roof of the station platform, Sylvia
took out her hat pins, and Thinkright unrolled and opened her neat
umbrella.

"I've brought the umbrella, too," he said, with a humorous appreciati