"Thank you, Cyrus," said Uncle Hector. "I knew I was dealing with a man who would do the right thing when he saw it. And now, let's have some candy together and celebrate the occasion. What'll you have, Ruth?" He moved his hand, at a guess, toward the glass jar that held the pink candy with the white stripes. She nodded. "Yes, I like that best." He placed a stick of it in the lady's hand. "And you, Cyrus? The same, I suppose?" "No, sir. I'll have a cocoanut cake." Uncle Hector replaced the jar; then, as he laid the cocoanut cake in the extended hand: "But you wanted the candy a minute ago; a whole dollar's worth." "That's when I was treatin' Ruth. I thought it would please her to think I liked what she liked." "But you don't care for that candy?" "No, sir." Uncle Hector's face took on a new expression. He straightened up, lowered his chin, regarded the small boy in front of him was a peculiar look, bent forward and held an open palm quite close to the wondering face. "Shake hands." Cyrus reached up and placed his small hand in the extended palm. The large hand closed over the little one. "Cyrus, you are a gentleman." [Illustration] IV MATRIMONIAL A June morning. The sky, this morning, is the bluest blue; the air delicious. There is fragrance in it, of buds, new grass and flowers. Also, in the air, is the joy of living, and the promise of even better things to come. But Ruth Heywood, sitting upon the front door step of her father's house, seemed oblivious to the surrounding rapture. Her thoughts were solemn. Half an hour ago she had witnessed a marriage in her own parlor. Her father, a clergyman, had united two lovers in the bonds of matrimony. The ceremony had deeply impressed the youthful witness, curled up in the big arm chair near the window. And after the departure of the happy couple she had been still further, and yet more deeply impressed, by her father's explanation of what the ceremony meant. Now, sitting in the sunshine on the front steps, her youthful mind was struggling with the marriage problem. It certainly seemed a grand idea, this bringing together of a man and woman to love each other dearly all the rest of their lives, with no drawback, and to make each other supremely happy, not only in this life but in the life to come. The more she thought and the deeper she went into this inviting subject the better she liked it. And she wondered why anybody should delay an hour before entering the holy state.