e in answers to prayers!"

"Willy's been going some," said Rivers. "I don't know who you've up your
sleeve for him, but we've picked out a winner--a sweet, brave,
true-hearted little lady. Don't _you_ butt in, Hiram."

"Well, hardly," said Hiram Butler, "since her father and I picked her
out first. But, Jabez, blood will tell; I knew Willy had the makings.
Now suppose you and I put the young folks into the machine. They can do
their courting on the way."

It may be presumed that he knew, although they took their own original
way to Arcadia. Fifteen minutes later, in the heart of the woods which
they had sought because, although much longer to the club-house by that
road, Willy needed its cool refreshment; fifteen minutes later the boy
was saying, "I had to write the note because I didn't have a chance to
see you. Have you read it?" He looked up tremulously. "I write an
awfully blind handwriting always, and to-day, with playing golf and all,
it's worse than ever."

"You could read it out to me, you know," said the girl; she pulled the
score-card, on which Willy had scribbled, from her sleeve, and both the
young heads bent over it. "'Dear Jean,'" read Willy; then he added, "I
hope you don't think that presumptuous, but being engaged--"

"No, never mind that; you called me that to-day, already, at the top of
your voice, too."

"You scared me stiff--Jean."

"You scared me first--before I knew it was Flukes. You are an awfully
reckless boy."

"I will go on," said Willy; "it's short." He read:

"'Dear Jean, I forgot to say one thing yesterday when I asked you to
marry me; I love and adore you. Yours very sincerely, William Godfrey
Butler.'"

He said nothing more; neither did she say anything for a space. The
squirrels watched them with their bright little eyes, and scampered
fearlessly up the very tree under which their car had halted. All at
once she began to laugh. "My word! but you look miserable, William
Butler. I know it is a sacrifice; I made up my mind to release you; I
only consented yesterday to make you easy in your mind for the game."

Then he surprised her. "That was yesterday," said he. "To-day I know why
all the world has been different ever since I saw you; I knew everything
I felt when you ran to that dog--"

"Then it will not be an awful sacrifice for you?"

He took her little cold brown hand; I had forgotten there was such a
thing in the world as fear. "It will be heaven for me," he said. "Bu