"Please go away! I've spent all evening straightening these things out." She retreated to her chair, and he began rolling up his papers. "You'd better go with the Whipples, and Mrs. Whipple will help you do your shopping. It doesn't seem to me that you have many clothes. You'd better get some more." "You can't buy me off that way, father. Either you go or I don't." He turned toward her again when he had rolled his papers into a packet and fixed a rubber band around them. She knew, as she usually did after such approaches, that he wanted to say something in particular. "You mustn't settle down too soon. You can't always be young, and you can easily get into a rut here." "Yes, but I haven't had time yet; I've hardly got settled. I want to get acquainted at home before I go away. I'm afraid they still look on me as a pilgrim and a stranger here." "But they're all nice to you, ain't they?" he demanded sharply. "They are certainly as kind as can be," she answered. "I haven't a single complaint. I'm having just the time I wanted to have when I came home." "I don't want to lose you too soon, girl." It was half a question. She wondered whether this could be what he had been leading up to. "And I don't want you to lose me at all! I didn't come home after all these years to have you lose me." "Oh, I don't mean right away," he said. "But sometime--sometime you will have to go, I suppose." "I'm certainly not thinking of it." She was laughing and trying to break his mood; but he was very serious, and took a cigar from his pocket and put it in his mouth. "You'll have to go sometime; and when you do, I want the right kind of a man to have you." "So do I, father." "You are old enough to understand that a girl in your position is likely to be sought by men who may--who may--well, who may be swayed somewhat by worldly considerations." "Isn't that a trifle hard on me? I hoped I was a little more attractive than that, father." "You know what I mean," he went on. "I guess we can tell that sort when they come around. I've had an idea that you might choose to marry away from here; you've been away a good deal; you must have met a good many young men, brothers of your friends--" "Yes, I met them, father, and that was all there was to it." "I shouldn't like you to marry away from here. I've been afraid you wouldn't like our old town. I guess we fellows that started it like it better than anybody else does; but I can see how you might not care so much for it." He waited, and she knew that he wanted her to disavow any such feeling. "Why, I've never had any idea of wanting to live anywhere else! I don't believe I'd be happy away from here. It's home, and it always will be home. I hope we can stay and keep the old house here--" She sat forward with her arms on the curved sides of the chair. He did not heed what she said. Older people have this way with youth when they are intent on the impression they wish to make and count upon acquiescence.