“That’s what I’m anxious to know,” Melba answered. “The more I think of the incident, Fred, the more it puzzles me. I was in hopes you might be able to suggest a reason for his sudden change. Ah! Here’s some one who may be able to help us.” She pointed, as she spoke, toward Hawley, who came in at that moment to tell Carroll of his experience at the city hall. “We want your advice, Mr. Hawley,” the girl said, as the Camera Chap stepped up. “My cousin has asked me to marry him. Can you imagine a reason?” “I can imagine a hundred reasons,” the Camera Chap replied gallantly. “If you’ll glance in a mirror, Miss Gale, you’ll discover a lot of them for yourself. With all his faults, your cousin is human, you know--and he isn’t blind.” “Thank you!” said Melba, laughing and blushing. “But I am really serious, Mr. Hawley. I am quite sure that my cousin isn’t in love with me--in fact, as I was just saying to Fred, he cordially dislikes me. Besides, I happen to know that he’s in love with another girl--an actress in New York. He’s got her picture tacked on the wall in his room, and he writes to her every day. Now, what can be his object in proposing to me?” “Oh, I guess that’s easily explained,” Hawley answered. “No doubt spite is his motive. He wants to win you away from Fred.” Carroll nodded. “Yes; that’s it, of course. Wasn’t our engagement mentioned during the conversation, girlie?” “Not a word about it,” Melba replied. “He didn’t even mention your name, Fred. When I told him that it was quite out of the question for me to marry him, he merely said that he was sorry I felt that way about it, but that he was going to keep on trying until he persuaded me to change my mind.” Carroll was not at all pleased to hear this. “I suppose that means that he’ll keep annoying you by forcing his attentions upon you,” he said grimly. “I suppose so,” said Melba. “And, being under the same roof with him, that’s going to be decidedly unpleasant. I almost think I’d prefer to have him treat me in his usual disagreeable manner. Probably my uncle, too, will pester me with arguments why I should marry his son. I can see myself having a pleasant time.” “If only I could afford to marry you now, and take you away from such distasteful surroundings!” Carroll said wistfully. “It’s the dickens to be poor!” Melba laughed heartily. “Never mind, Fred,” she said soothingly. “Things will be coming our way soon. Judging from the hit your paper has made, you’re not going to be poor much longer, is he, Mr. Hawley?” “I hope not,” the Camera Chap replied. “By the way, Fred, I’ve got a proposition to put up to you. It’s from your friend Mayor Henkle. If you’re tired of being poor, maybe you’ll be glad to accept the offer that he makes.” With a twinkle in his eye, he proceeded to narrate his experience at the city hall, and Carroll received the news with great joy.