“Prigs, like Guy Carleton, Count Altenberg, and John Halifax I know the pattern you goody girls like,” sneered Charlie, who preferred the Guy Livingston, Beauclerc, and Rochester style. “Then I'm not a 'goody girl,' for I don't like prigs. I want a gentleman in the best sense of the word, and I can wait, for I've seen one, and know there are more in the world.” “The deuce you have! Do I know him?” asked Charlie, much alarmed. “You think you do,” answered Rose with a mischievous sparkle in her eye. “If it isn't Pem, I give it up. He's the best-bred fellow I know.” “Oh, dear, no! Far superior to Mr. Pemberton and many years older,” said Rose, with so much respect that Charlie looked perplexed as well as anxious. “Some apostolic minister, I fancy. You pious creatures always like to adore a parson. But all we know are married.” “He isn't.” “Give a name, for pity's sake I'm suffering tortures of suspense,” begged Charlie. “Alexander Campbell.” “Uncle? Well, upon my word, that's a relief, but mighty absurd all the same. So, when you find a young saint of that sort, you intend to marry him, do you?” demanded Charlie much amused and rather disappointed. “When I find any man half as honest, good, and noble as Uncle, I shall be proud to marry him if he asks me,” answered Rose decidedly. “What odd tastes women have!” And Charlie leaned his chin on his hand to muse pensively for a moment over the blindness of one woman who could admire an excellent old uncle more than a dashing young cousin. Rose, meanwhile, tied up her parcels industriously, hoping she had not been too severe, for it was very hard to lecture Charlie, though he seemed to like it sometimes and came to confession voluntarily, knowing that women love to forgive when the sinners are of his sort. “It will be mail time before you are done,” she said presently, for silence was less pleasant than his rattle. Charlie took the hint and dashed off several notes in his best manner. Coming to the business letter, he glanced at it and asked, with a puzzled expression: “What is all this? Cost of repairs, etc., from a man named Buffum?” “Never mind that I'll see to it by and by.” “But I do mind, for I'm interested in all your affairs, and though you think I've no head for business, you'll find I have if you'll try me.” “This is only about my two old houses in the city, which are being repaired and altered so that the rooms can be let singly.” “Going to make tenement houses of them? Well, that's not a bad idea such places pay well, I've heard.” “That is just what I'm not going to do. I wouldn't have a tenement house on my conscience for a million dollars not as they are now,” said Rose decidedly. “Why, what do you know about it, except that people live in them and the owners turn a pretty penny on the rents?”