He had identified Mr. Dale's interest with his own anxiety, and looked wistfully at the older man, who seemed sunk in thought and quite forgetful of his presence. Mr. Denner put one hand to his lips and gave a little cough. Then he said:-- "One would think there would be a rule about such things, some acknowledged method; a proverb, for instance; it would simplify matters very much." "True," said Mr. Dale. "Yes," Mr. Denner added, "you would think in such a general thing as marriage there would be. Complications like this must constantly arise. What if Miss Deborah and Miss Ruth had another sister? Just see how confused a man might be. Yes, one would suppose the wisdom of experience would take the form of an axiom. But it hasn't." He sighed deeply, and rose, for it was late, and the little fire had burned out. Mr. Dale bent forward, with his elbows on his lean knees, and gently knocked the ashes from his silver pipe. Then he got up, and, standing with his back to the cold grate, and the tails of his flowered dressing-gown under each arm in a comfortable way, he looked at the lawyer, with his head a little on one side, as though he were about to speak. Mr. Denner noticed it. "Ah, you cannot make any suggestion, Henry?" "Well," said Mr. Dale, "it seems to me I had a thought--a sort of a proverb, you might say--but it slips my memory." Mr. Denner, with his overcoat half on, stood quite still, and trembled. "It is something about how to make up your mind," Mr. Dale continued, very slowly; "let me see." "How to make up your mind?" cried Mr. Denner. "That's just the thing! I'm sure, that's just the thing! And we cannot but have the greatest confidence in proverbs. They are so eminently trustworthy. They are the concentrated wisdom--of--of the ages, as it were. Yes, I should be quite willing to decide the matter by a proverb." He looked at Mr. Dale eagerly, but this especial piece of wisdom still eluded the older man. "It begins," said Mr. Dale, hesitating, and fixing his eyes upon the ceiling,--"it begins--let me see. 'When in doubt'--ah"-- "What is it?" gasped Mr. Denner. "That has a familiar sound, but I cannot seem to finish it. When in doubt, what?" "Well," answered his friend ruefully, "it is not quite--it does not exactly apply. I am afraid it won't; help us out. You know the rest. It is merely--'take the trick'!" CHAPTER XVI. The morning after John Ward's return from his two weeks' absence at General Assembly, he found it hard to settle down to work. Not that there was very much to talk about, for daily letters had told of daily doings, but to be with Helen again was an absorbing joy. She followed him about as he put his papers away, and he, in turn, came out into the garden to watch her while she showed Alfaretta where to plant some flower seeds. "Come over here," Helen said, "and see these violets under the big elm! I have been so in hopes they would blossom in time to welcome you. Let's pick some for the study."