But she perceived that Sylvia did not want to talk about the subject. “Well, Sunny,” she said, after a pause, “I see you’ve got a substitute ready.” “How do you mean?” asked Sylvia, dully. “I mean your Dutch friend.” “My Dutch friend? Oh—you are talking about Mr. van Tuiver?” “You are most penetrating, Sylvia!” “You’ve heard about him?” said the other, without heeding her friend’s humor. “Heard about him! For heaven’s sake, what else can one hear about in Castleman County just now?” Sylvia said nothing for a while. “I suppose,” she remarked, at last, “it’s because I came in a special train.” “My dear,” said the other, “it’s because _he_ came in a special train.” “_He_ came?” repeated Sylvia, puzzled. And her friend stared at her. “Good Lord,” she said, “I believe you really don’t know that Mr. van Tuiver’s in town!” Sylvia started as if she had been struck. “Mr. van Tuiver _in town_!” she gasped. “Why, surely, honey—he’s been here three or four days. How they must be taking care of you!” Sylvia sprang to her feet. “How perfectly outrageous!” she cried. “What, Sunny? That you haven’t seen him?” “Harriet, stop joking with me!” “But I’m not joking with you,” said Harriet, bewildered. “What in the world is the matter?” Sylvia’s face was pale with anger. “I won’t see him! I won’t see him! He has no right to come here!” “But Sunny—what’s the matter? What’s the man done?” “He wants to marry me, Harriet, and he’s come here—oh, how shameful! how insulting! At such a time as this!” “But I should think this was just the time for him to come!” said Harriet, laughing in spite of herself. “Surely, Sylvia, if you haven’t gone formally into mourning——” “I won’t see him!” cried the other, passionately. “He must be made to understand it at once—he’ll gain nothing by coming here!” “But, Sunny,” suggested her friend, “hadn’t you better wait until he _tries_ to see you?” “Where is he, Harriet?” “He’s staying with Mrs. Chilton.” “With Aunt Nannie!” Sylvia stood, staring at Harriet with sudden fear in her face. She saw now why van Tuiver had made no attempt to see her, why nothing had been said to her as yet! She clenched her hands tightly and exclaimed, “I won’t marry him! They sha’n’t sell me to him—they sha’n’t, they sha’n’t!” Her friend was gazing at her in wonder, not unmixed with alarm. “Good God, Sunny,” she exclaimed, “can he be so bad that you’d refuse to marry him?” § 6