“Yes, I remember it. I was kept in the house for two days by it,” she said. “Do you consider that lucky?” “Why, yes,” replied Jim coolly. “It was something to keep you from gadding around so much; and then it certainly attracted attention enough. That is what advertising is for. But I wanted to speak of something else.” “Well, you can, dear,” said Norine sweetly. “I won’t prevent you.” And then she added indignantly: “_My_ gadding around! The idea!” Jim laughed. “The shoe must have pinched a little,” he said slyly. “I thought you were going to speak about something else, sir?” “Well, I am, if you give me a chance. I was about to say that I had received another proof of my marvelous luck in advertising. Perhaps you are not aware that we are the joint owners of nearly a thousand acres of land somewhere up in Michigan?” “No, I was not aware of it.” “Well, it is so,” continued Jim; “and as I thought best to sell the land, if I could find any one weak enough to buy it, I had it advertised in the Michigan papers; and mark the result! It is only a week or so ago that I wrote the advertisement, and I have an answer already.” “Wonderful!” exclaimed Norine, in mock astonishment. “What a clever fellow you are! But why do you wish to sell it?” “Because,” replied he, “a certain sister of mine is going to be married, and then proposes to drag me over the greater part of the world with her, and that costs money.” “I drag you?” cried Norine. “Just as if you hadn’t proposed it yourself!” “Did I?” he inquired innocently. “Well, perhaps I did. But, Norry, there is one thing about this that strikes me as being odd.” “What is it, dear?” “Why, we had supposed the land to be nearly valueless, and here is a man--and a lawyer”--Jim laid convincing stress on that word--“who lives right there, and should know something about it, makes an offer for it as soon as it is placed in the market. That land may be more valuable than we supposed,” he concluded thoughtfully. “What are you going to do about it, dear?” inquired Norine. “I don’t know,” said Jim slowly. “That is, I do know,” he added determinedly. “By George! I will run up there and see it for myself.” Norine clapped her hands joyfully. “How nice!” she said. “When do we start?” “Well,” replied her brother coolly, “I had no idea _we_ were going to start. I thought a girl who expected to be married within a month or so would have enough to do at home.” “Now don’t be mean, Jim,” cried Norine. “You know I am all done. Of course you will take me, Jim?” she coaxed. “There is plenty of time.” “I don’t know,” said he. “How long will it take you to get ready?” “I can be ready in half an hour,” she replied promptly. “Well, that settles it. Of course you can’t get ready in half an hour. But if you can get ready in two or three hours, you can go.” And he went out to telegraph the lawyer that he was coming.