"Yes," said the father, with no little pride manifest in his voice and manner. "Frank is a Goodrich through and through. Amy seems to take more after your people." Mrs. Goodrich sighed. "I'm sorry, but I don't see how I can help it." The next day, after dinner, Mr. Goodrich found his daughter alone in the library, where she had gone with a bit of fancy work, which girls manage to have always about them. "Frank tells me that Mr. Falkner has united with the church," he remarked, carelessly. "Yes," said Amy, "I am so glad. The church needs such young men, I think." "He is quite a shrewd fellow, isn't he?" continued her father. "He's very intelligent, I'm sure. You know it was he who proposed the plan for our new institution, and Mr. Wicks and Brother Cameron think it is very fine." "Does he use good language in his conversation?" "Oh yes sir, indeed. He is a very interesting talker. He has traveled so much, and read almost everything. I tell him I think he ought to preach." "Hum. And will he, do you think?" "He said he would if he were convinced it was his work." "Where did he live before he came here?" "Oh, he has lived in nearly all the big cities. He was in Kansas City last." "And what did his father do?" "His mother died when he was a little boy, and his father drank himself to death, or something. He won't talk about his family much. He did say though, that his father was a mechanic. I believe that he tells Mr. Udell more about his past than anyone." "And did Udell tell you all this?" "No," answered Amy, who suddenly saw what was coming. "How do you know so much about him then?" "He told me." "Indeed. You seem to be on very good terms with this hero. How long were you at the printing office yesterday? I saw you leaving the building." Amy was silent, but her burning cheeks convinced her father that he had cause to be alarmed. "Did you talk with him when you were there?" "Yes sir; he waited on me." "And do you think it is a credit to your family to be so intimate with a tramp who was kicked out of my place of business?" "Oh father, that is not true--I mean, sir, that you do not understand--Mr. Falkner is not a tramp. He was out of work and applied to you for a place. Surely that is not dishonest. And that he wanted to work for you ought not to be used against him. He has never in any way shown himself anything but a gentleman, and is much more modest and intelligent than many of the young men in Boyd City who have fine homes. I am sure we ought not to blame him because he has to fight his own way in the world, instead of always having things brought to him. If you knew him better, you wouldn't talk so." She spoke rapidly in her excitement. "You seem to know him very well when you champion him so strongly that you call your own father a liar," replied Adam, harshly.