d, and turned so white. I suppose he thought
it was womanish, and a sign of weakness, and so he didn't tell, but I
bet anything that he had it--bad!

"I'll try to make the little fool see!" he said.

"Gently, gently! You won't help me any in that mood," said Laddie.
"The chances are that Miss Pryor repeated what she heard from you long
ago, and what she knows you think and feel, unless you've changed
recently."

"That's the amount of it!" cried Mr. Pryor. "All my life I've had a
lot of beastly notions in my head about rank, and class, and here they
don't amount to a damn! There's no place for them. Things are
different. Your mother, a grand, good woman, opened my eyes to many
things recently, and I get her viewpoint--clearly, and I agree with
her, and with you, sir!--I agree with you!"

"I am more than glad," said Laddie. "You certainly make a friend at
court. Thank you very much!"

"And you will come----?"

"The instant Miss Pryor gives me the slightest sign that I am wanted,
and will be welcomed by her, I'll come like a Dakota blizzard! Flos
can hump herself on time for once."

"But you won't come until she does?"

"Man alive! I can't!" cried Laddie. "Your daughter said positively
exactly what she meant. It was unexpected and it hit me so hard I
didn't try to argue. I simply took her at her word, her very explicit
word."

"Fool!" cried Mr. Pryor. "The last thing on earth any woman ever wants
or expects is for a man to take her at her word."

"What?" cried Laddie.

"She had what she said in her mind of course, but what she wanted was
to be argued out of it! She wanted to be convinced!"

"I think not! She was entirely too convincing herself," said Laddie.
"It's my guess that she has thought matters over, and that her mind is
made up; but I would take it as a mighty big favour if you would put
that little piece of special pleading squarely up to her. Will you?"

"Yes," said Mr. Pryor, "I will. I'll keep cool and do my best, but I
am so unfortunate in my temper. I could manage slaves better than
women. This time I'll be calm, and reason things out with her, or I'll
blow out my brains."

"Don't you dare!" laughed Laddie. "You and I are going to get much
pleasure, comfort and profit from this world, now that we have come to
an understanding."

Mr. Pryor arose and held out his hand. Laddie grasped it tight, and
they stood there looking straight at each other, while a lark on the
fen