"Come out of the trance, Dudley," says I. "I--I beg pardon?" says he, startin' guilty. "You'll only get your wings singed," says I. "Forget Veronica while there's a chance." "But I don't wish to forget her," says he. "She--she's beautiful." "Ah, what's the use?" says I. "She's mighty particular too." "She has every right to be," says Dudley. "What delicious coloring! What a carriage! She has the bearing of a Queen." "Maybe," says I. "But wouldn't you rattle around some on a throne? Keep that in mind, Dudley." "Yes, yes," says he. "I suppose I must remember how unimpressive I am." He's an easy forgetter that evenin', though. When Sadie suggests that Miss Adams favor us, blessed if it ain't Dudley who's right there doin' the music turnin' act. I wonder how many others has struck that same pose, and lost good sleep thinkin' it over afterwards? But never a one, I'll bet, that looked like such a hopeless starter. He seemed to be enjoyin' it as much as any, though. And afterwards, when the other four settles themselves around the card table for the usual three rubbers, blamed if Dudley don't have the nerve to tow Veronica into the next room, stretchin' on tiptoe to talk earnest in her ear. I could guess what it was all about. Veronica had a nice way of soundin' people for their pet hobbies, and she must have got Dudley started on his; for it's the only subject I ever knew him to get real gabby over. And you'd never guess from his looks what it was. Farmin'! Course he ain't doin' the reg'lar Rube kind,--hay and hogs, hogs and hay. He goes at it scientific,--one of these book farmers, you understand. Establishin' model farms is his fad. Dudley told me all about it once,--intensive cultivation, soil doctorin', harvestin' efficiency, all such dope, with a cost-bearin' side line to fall back on in the winter. Not that he needs the money, but he says he wants to keep busy and make himself useful. So his scheme is to buy up farms here and there, take each one in turn, put it on a payin' basis by studyin' the best stuff to raise and gettin' wise to the market, and then showin' his neighbors how to turn the trick too. No rollin' out at four A.M. to milk the cows for Dudley! He hires a good crew at topnotch wages, and puts in his time plannin' irrigatin' ditches, experimentin' with fertilizers, doin' the seed testin', and readin' government reports; even has a farm bookkeeper. [Illustration: Blamed if Dudley don't have the nerve to tow Veronica into the next room, stretchin' on tiptoe to talk in her ear.]