“Thank you, sir, you’re very kind,” Guy replied. “I appreciate it. But it isn’t that.” “Oh, isn’t it?” Wallace said, in a tone of relief. “Well, that’s all right, then.” He acted as if the interview were ended. He had the air of thinking Guy no longer remained in the room. Guy laughed awkwardly, as if to emphasize his presence. “It’s something a good deal more serious.” “Oho!” Wallace looked interested. “It isn’t your money I’m after. It’s Fanny.” “Fanny! My little Fanny?” asked Wallace, in a tone of amusement and surprise. “Yes, sir, your little Fanny,” Guy replied, boldly. “I’m in love with her.” “Well, that’s not anything remarkable, after all,” said Wallace. “I believe most of the boys down home are. She always was a great hand for the boys. They like her easy way with them, I suppose. Well, I’m very glad you like Fanny. I’m sure it’s a compliment to the whole family. You must see a lot of pretty girls during the Winter.” “But I want to marry her,” Guy insisted. He did not like the old gentleman’s manner, and yet, oddly enough, it reminded him of Fanny’s. “Oh, you do, do you?” Wallace held his right hand over his lips. “Well, that’s a pretty serious matter, isn’t it? I thought perhaps you were just feeling your way round. Lots of boys down home like to talk to me about Fanny. They’re just trying to get the lay of the land, I suppose. But I generally laugh at ’em, an’ I tell ’em she’s hardly out of her pinafores yet. You see, by the time she gets through college----” “Through college?” Guy gasped. Wallace gave the young fellow a severe look. “Yes. Why not? Don’t you believe in college education for women? Well, I declare, you college fellows are pretty selfish! You get plenty of education yourselves, but you----” “Oh, I don’t care anything about that,” Guy interrupted. “Let them have all the education they want. But Fanny doesn’t want to go to college. She only wants----” “Eh? What did you say she wanted?” Wallace asked, shrewdly. “She wants me,” said Guy, with as much modesty as he could display. “Oh, she does, does she? How do you know that?” Guy was very modest now. “Because she told me so.” “M’m!” said Wallace. The old gentleman’s mouth grew tight again. Then he said, with a sly glance at Guy: “How much money have you got?” “I beg your pardon, sir,” Guy explained, helplessly, his face turning scarlet. “What’s your income? Are you prepared to support a wife?” “I--I expect to be--in time.” Wallace smiled, smoothing his thick, white hair. “Well, Fanny was never much of a hand to wait for anything, I can tell you that. How much money do you make?” Guy shifted his position. “Well, not much at present. In fact, it is hardly worth speaking of.” “Any prospects?” Wallace persisted, mercilessly. “I don’t exactly know,” Guy replied, feeling that things were going very badly. “You don’t know whether you have any prospects or not?” Wallace exclaimed. “The fact is----” “Eh?” “My affairs are rather mixed up just now.”