"Of course, I will excuse you for interrupting me, since you ask it," he said evenly. "But I was far from through. I am going to drive up to Chicago in my car. I have a lot of running around to do, out to Evanston and to the University, and all over town. I haven't the time to bother with street-cars, nor the patience to bother with taxis. So I shall take my own locomotion with me. It is a good road all the way, and I can make the run in a few hours. Of course, your father could not drive up in the wind, but you and Rosalie seem fairly healthy, and I have a back seat. So if you feel any desire to go with me, why, I think--" Doris put her head in her arm on the back of the seat and sobbed. Then she sat up quickly and patted his arm as warmly as she dared with any degree of safety to the steering, and said: "Mr. Wizard, please wake me up. You have me under the spell of your charm, and I am dreaming things." "I hope you are under the spell of my charm, and I wouldn't wake you up for a thousand dollars," he said explosively, and although of course it was only a joke, Doris blushed and began making plans for the trip very hurriedly. "What shall we do with the little girls?" she asked, confident of his ability to do something. "I had not reached that portion of the family yet. Let me see--they can have Bangs to take care of them." "Wouldn't they love that? No, we'll get Miss Carlton. She has been hinting to come for a visit for quite a while, and now is just the time. It will shock her to find father gone--but she is fine in an emergency, and this is one. Now let's hurry home and tell father." When Rosalie heard of this new and wonderful dispensation of Providence in the person of the enormous philosopher, she looked at him very steadily and said in her softest voice: "Mr. MacCammon, you haven't a brother, have you, a younger brother who looks like you--or a son?" "No," he said, staring at her in surprise. "I haven't anybody. Why?" "I wanted to put in an application for him, that is all." "Why, Rosalie." Suddenly he laughed aloud, and drew her away to a remote corner of the room. "Then I take it that my efforts along this line do not meet with your disapproval?" "Quite the contrary." "Can you assure me of success?" he asked, still smiling, but Rosalie observed that his eyes were very bright and very earnest. "No," she said slowly. "One can not quite do that, you know." He looked suddenly startled. "You don't mean--is there anybody-- There can't be any one--" "Has she told you about the bishop?" "No, she hasn't mentioned the bishop--or anybody," he said in a voice quite changed. "Why, Mr. MacCammon, you would not want to win your heart's desire too easily, would you? Think what a satisfaction it will be later on to know that you outclassed a bishop!"