CHAPTER I--BLUE EYES AND BLACK HAIR SHE’S coming next month, Charlie,” said Mrs. Durham, looking up from a letter. “Who is it now. Auntie, another divinity with which you are going to overwhelm me?” asked Gaston smiling as he laid his book down and leaned back in his chair. “Some one I’ve been telling you about for the last month.” “Which one?” “Oh, you wretch! You don’t think about anything except your books. I’ve been dinning that girl’s praises into your ears for fully five weeks, and you look at me in that innocent way and ask which one?” “Honestly, Aunt Margaret, you’re always telling me about some beautiful girl, I get them mixed. And then when I see them, they don’t come up to the advance notices you’ve sent out. To tell you the truth, you are such a beautiful woman, and I’ve got so used to your standard, the girls can’t measure up to it.” “You flatterer. A woman of forty-two a standard of beauty! Well, it’s sweet to hear you say it, you handsome young rascal.” “It’s the honest truth. You are one of the women who never show the addition of a year. You have spoiled my eyesight for ordinary girls.” “Hush, sir, you don’t dare to talk to any girl like you talk to me. They all say you’re afraid of them.” “Well, I am, in a sense. I’ve been disappointed so many times.” “Oh! you ’ll find her yet and when you do!”-- “What do you think will happen?” “I’m certain you will be the biggest fool in the state.” “That will make it nice for the girl, won’t it?” “Yes, and I shall enjoy your antics. You who have dissected love with your brutal German philosophy, and found every girl’s faults with such ease,--it will be fun to watch you flounder in the meshes at last.” “Auntie, seriously, it will be the happiest day of my life. For four years my dreams have been growing more and more impossible. Who is this one?” “She is the most beautiful girl I know, and the brightest and the best, and if she gets hold of you she will clip your wings and bring you down to earth. I ’ll watch you with interest,” said Mrs. Durham looking over the letter again and laughing. “What are you laughing at?” “Just a little joke she gets off in this letter.” “But who is she? You haven’t told me.” “I did tell you--she’s General Worth’s daughter, Miss Sallie. She writes she is coming up to spend a month at the Springs, with her friend Helen Lowell, of Boston, and wants me to corral all the young men in the community and have them fed and in fine condition for work when they arrive.” “She evidently intends to have a good time.” “Yes, and she will.” “Fortunately my law practice is not rushing me at this season. My total receipts for June last year were two dollars and twenty-five cents. It will hardly go over two-fifty this year.” “I’ve told her you’re a rising young lawyer.” “I have plenty of room to rise, Auntie. If you will just keep on letting me board with you, I hope to work my practice up to ten dollars a month in the course of time.”