"Father, I don't know much about Susie except that I love her and mean to marry her. And I won't have you sneer at her, even if you are ill and bad tempered. You have no reason to say a word against her." "Smith!" "I know," a smile creeping over his face to soften its fierceness; "but I'll change that name, pretty soon. Susie Everton isn't so bad, is it?" "Give her up, Jim. Don't let her come between us." "She's there, Dad, and you can't thrust her away." "Give her up." "I won't!" Mrs. Everton was sobbing softly. The invalid turned on his cushions with a sigh. But his jaws were closed tight and his brow bent to a frown. Jim had quite regained his composure. "I hope you'll soon get better, sir," he remarked. "I shall be in Tamawaca for some weeks yet, and if I can be of any help in any way, let me know. Good bye, mother." As he turned to go the door burst open and Nellie and May dashed in and threw themselves upon their brother with glad cries and smothering kisses. They were bright, pretty girls, and Jim loved them and was proud of them. "Is it all made up, Jim?" asked Nell, anxiously. "Not quite, little sister," smiling at her. "Oh, but it must be! It's all wrong, dear, for us to be separated this way. Tell him so, father!" turning appealingly to the invalid. "He refused my overtures," said Mr. Everton, testily. "Oh, no!" laughed Jim; "he refused my sweetheart." The girls clapped their hands gleefully. "We've heard all about it, in the town," said one. "Oh, Jim, you lucky boy!" "And whom do you think it is, Dad?" asked the other eagerly, as she seated herself beside her father's chair. "I don't know; and Jim don't know." "But _we_ know! She's an old friend of ours. We knew her at Wellesley, and we've just called upon her and kissed her and hugged her for old times' sake. Father, it's Susie Smith!" "Smith!" with a snort of contempt. "The only, only child of the great Agamemnon Smith, the richest Standard Oil magnate after Rockefeller himself!" Jim fell into a chair and stared at his father. His father stared at him. "And that isn't all," said May, gushingly. "Susie's as lovely as she is rich--the sweetest, cutest, brightest and cunningest little thing that ever lived." "To think that Susie Smith will be our sister!" cried Nell, clasping her hands ecstatically. "And--and--Jim can change that name of Smith, you know," faltered poor Mrs. Everton, glancing at her husband nervously. The invalid roused himself and looked up with a smile. "So he can," he observed, drily. "Hang up your hat, Jim, and let's talk it over." Jim hung up his hat. CHAPTER XIV. OF COURSE. Things settled into easy grooves at Tamawaca.