"Do you think fate is as much responsible for that as yourself?" she questioned, smiling as they passed at a good clip the turn which was to have taken them over the pretty Bald Hill drive. Sam had not even thought to apologize for the abrupt change in their program, because she could certainly see the opportunity which had offered itself, and how imperative it was to embrace it. The thing needed no explanation. "I don't know," he replied to her query, after pausing to consider it a moment. "I certainly don't go out of my road to hunt up these things." "No-o-o-o," she admitted. "But fate hasn't thrust this particular opportunity upon me, although I'm right with you at the time. It never would have occurred to me to ask about those walnut trees." "It would have occurred to your father," he retorted quickly. "Yes, it might have occurred to father, but I think that under the circumstances he would have waited until to-morrow to see about it." "I suppose I might be that way when I arrive at his age," Sam commented philosophically, "but just now I can't afford it. His 'seeing about it to-morrow' cost him between five and six thousand dollars the last time I had anything to do with him." She laughed. She was enjoying Sam's company very much. Even if a bit startling, he was at least refreshing after the type of young men she was in the habit of meeting. "He was talking about that last night," she said. "I think father rather stands in both admiration and awe of you." "I'm glad to hear that," he returned quite seriously. "It's a good attitude in which to have the man with whom you expect to do business." "I think I shall have to tell him that," she observed, highly amused. "He will enjoy it, and it may put him on his guard." "I don't mind," he concluded after due reflection. "It won't hurt a particle. If anything, if he likes me so far, that will only increase it. I like your father. In fact I like his whole family." "Thank you," she said demurely, wondering if there was no end to his bluntness, and wondering, too, whether it were not about time that she should find it wearisome. On closer analysis, however, she decided that the time was not yet come. "But you have not met all of them," she reminded him. "There are mother and a younger sister and an older brother." "Don't matter if there were six more, I like all of them," Sam promptly informed her. Then, "Stop a minute," he suddenly directed the chauffeur. That functionary abruptly brought his machine to a halt just a little way past a tree glowing with bright green leaves and red berries. "I don't know what sort of a tree that is," said Sam with boyish enthusiasm; "but see how pretty it is. Except for the shape of the leaves the effect is as beautiful as holly. Wouldn't you like a branch or two, Miss Stevens?" "I certainly should," she heartily agreed. "I don't know how you discovered that I have a mad passion for decorative weeds and things."