"Yes. And that he carries his hatred to extremes." "I should say he does!" exclaimed Luke with vast disgust. "He wants me to promise never to marry." "Well?" "My goodness, Miss Ruth! You say that calmly enough. How would you like to be nagged in such a way continually? It's no fun I can assure you." Ruth laughed one of her hearty, delightful laughs that made even the vexed Luke join in. "It's like Aunt Sarah," confessed Ruth. "She thinks very poorly of men, and is always advising Agnes and me to 'escape the wrath to come' by joining the spinster sisterhood." "But you haven't--you _won't_?" gasped Luke in horror. At that the oldest Corner House girl laughed again, and Luke found himself flushing and feeling rather shamefaced. "Oh, well," he said, "you know what I mean. You girls wouldn't really be influenced by such foolishness?" "Doesn't Neighbor influence you?" Ruth asked him quickly. "No, indeed. Not even when he tries to bribe me. He can keep his old money." "But he has been your good friend," the girl said slowly and thoughtfully. "And Cecile says he has promised to do much for you." "And if he got tiffed he would refuse to do a thing. Oh, I know Neighbor!" growled Luke. "Yet you must not think, Miss Ruth," he added after a moment, "that I do not appreciate what he has already done for me. He is the kindest old fellow alive, get him off the subject of women. But he must have been hurt very much by a woman when he was young--he never speaks about it, but so I surmise--and he cannot forget his hatred of the sex. "Why," continued the young man, "if it would do him a bit of good--my promising never to marry--any good in the world, there'd be some sense in thinking of it. But it's downright foolishness--and I'll never agree," and the young fellow shook his head angrily. "If it would cure him of any disease, or the like, I might be coaxed to wear blinders so as not to see the pretty girls at all," and Luke tried to laugh it off again. "But he's wrong--utterly wrong. And old folks should not be encouraged in wrong doing." "You feel yourself susceptible to the charms of pretty girls, then," suggested Ruth, smiling down at her sewing. He tried to see her full expression, but could see only the smile wreathing her lips. "Well, now, Miss Ruth," he said, in defense, "who isn't made happier by seeing a pretty and cheerful face?" "Some of them say they are made miserable for life by such a sight," Ruth declared demurely. "Or, is it only a manner of speaking?" [Illustration: "'I shall begin to believe you are a man-hater,' laughed Luke"] "I shall begin to believe you are a man-hater, just as Neighbor is a woman-hater," laughed Luke. "I have my doubts," confessed Ruth. "But you, Luke, have your own way to win in life, and if this man can and will help you, shouldn't you be willing to give up a little thing like that for policy's sake?" "A little thing like _what_?" exclaimed Luke Shepard, rather warmly.