"Now, wasn't that sweet in you?" gurgles Marjorie, glancin' sideways at Brother. I couldn't swear it was a wink, either; but it's one of them knowin' fam'ly looks, and she follows it up with a ripply sort of a giggle. "That's right!" says I. "Have all the fun you want with me; but I'd warn you to ditch the mirth stuff while you're on the carpet. Mr. Ellins don't like it." "How interesting!" says Marjorie. "Dudley, I hope you understand. We must ditch the mirth stuff." They swaps another grin at that, and I have a suspicion I'm bein' kidded. Just for that too I decides to stick around while they're gettin' theirs from Old Hickory. "This way," says I cold and haughty, as I tows 'em into the private office. Mr. Ellins lets 'em stand there a minute or so without sayin' a word, and then he turns and looks 'em over deliberate. "Humph!" he grunts. "Thought you were younger." "Yes, Sir," says Marjorie, "we--er--we were at one time." Old Hickory shoots a quizzin' glance at her; but there ain't the ghost of a smile on her face. "Huh!" says he. "I've no doubt. And I presume that in due course you'll be older. Having agreed on that, perhaps you will tell me what you're doing in New York?" Marjorie starts in to give him the answer to that; but Dudley shakes his head at her and takes the floor himself. "You see, Sir," says he real respectful, "Mother's abroad this winter, and when we were asked to visit friends on Long Island we thought----" "Amy abroad, is she?" breaks in Mr. Ellins. "How does that happen?" "The Adamses took her with them to Egypt," says Dudley. "They are old friends of ours." "Humph!" says Old Hickory. "Your mother must be rather popular?" "Oh, everyone likes Mama," put in Marjorie. "She's asked around everywhere." "Yes, yes, I've no doubt," says he. "As I remember her, she was rather a--but we won't go into that. Did you come to consult me about anything in particular?" "No indeed," says Marjorie. "But you've been so good to bother about our affairs, and you've done such wonders with the little property poor Dad left, that we thought, as we were so near, we ought to----" "We wanted," breaks in Dudley, "to call and thank you personally for your kindness. You have been awfully kind, Sir." "Think so, do you?" says Mr. Ellins. "Well, is that all?" "Yes," says Marjorie; "only--only--oh, Dud, I'm going to do it!" And with that she makes a rush, lets out a giggle or two, grabs Old Hickory in a perfectly good hug, and kisses him twice on his bald spot. He don't even have a chance to struggle, and before he can get out a word it's all over and she has backed off, givin' him the full benefit of one of them twisty smiles. I was lookin' for him to blow up for fair at that. He don't though. "There, there!" says he. "Not in the least necessary, you know. But if it was something you had to get out of your system, all right. So you've been visiting, eh? Now, what?"