at the organ! The greatest show on earth and
the baby elephant in evening clothes prancing down the aisle like the
behemoth of holy writ! Well, say--say, I tell you!"

The Captain touched the big man on the shoulder apologetically. "George,
of course, if you could wait a year till the Household Horse gets going
good, I could stake you for a trip to the Grand Canyon myself, but just
now, 'y gory, man!"

"Grand Canyon!" laughed Brotherton. "Why, Cap, we're going to go seven
times around the world and twice to the moon before we turn up in
Harvey. Grand Canyon--"

"Well, at least, father," cried Martha, "we'll get her that tan
traveling dress and hat she's always wanted."

"But I tell you girls to keep still," protested the bride-to-be, still
in the prospective groom's arms and proud as Punch of her position.
"Why, George hasn't even asked me and--"

"Neither have you asked me, Emma, ''eathen idol made of mud what she
called the Great God Buhd.'" He stooped over tenderly and when his face
rose, he said softly, "And a plucky lot she cared for tan traveling
dresses when I kissed her where she stud!" And then and there before the
Morton family assembled, he kissed his sweetheart again, a middle-aged
man unashamed in his joy.

It was a tremendous event in the Morton family and the Captain felt his
responsibility heavily. The excited girls, half-shocked and half-amused
and wholly delighted, tried to lead the Captain away and leave the
lovers alone after George had hugged them all around and kissed them
again for luck. But the Captain refused to be led. He had many things to
say. He had to impress upon Mr. Brotherton, now that he was about to
enter the family, the great fact that the Mortons were about to come
into riches. Hence a dissertation on the Household Horse and its growing
popularity among makers of automobiles; Nate Perry's plans in blue print
for the new factory were brought in, and a wilderness of detail spread
before an ardent lover, keen for his first hour alone with the woman who
had touched his bachelor heart. A hundred speeches came to his lips and
dissolved--first formal and ardent love vows--while the Captain rattled
on recounting familiar details of his dream.

Then Ruth and Martha rose in their might and literally dragged their
father from the room and upstairs. Half an hour later the two lovers in
the doorway heard a stir in the house behind them. They heard the
Captain cry:

"The hash--George, s