"I'm afraid so, sir," said Austin, with mock gravity; "it certainly looks that way. For about six weeks ago she told me that--some time in the dim future, of course--she might possibly be prevailed upon to marry me!" Uncle Mat declared afterwards that this last shock was too much for him, and that he swooned away. But all that Austin and Sylvia could remember was that after a moment of electrified silence, he embraced them both, exclaiming, "Bless my stars! I never for one moment suspected that she had that much sense!" CHAPTER XIV "Are you two young idiots going out again this evening?" asked Uncle Mat as the three were eating their dessert, glancing from Sylvia's low-necked white gown to Austin's immaculate dress-suit. "No. This is entirely in each other's honor. But I hope you are, for I want to talk to Austin." "Good gracious! What have you been doing all day? What do you expect _me_ to do?" "You can go to your club and have five nice long rubbers of bridge," said Sylvia mercilessly, "and when you come back, please cough in the hall." "I want to write a few lines to my mother, after I've had a little talk with Mr. Stevens--then I'm entirely at your disposal," said Austin, as she lighted their cigars and rose to leave them. "I'm glad some one wants to talk to me," murmured Uncle Mat meekly. Sylvia hugged him and kissed the top of his head. "You dear jealous old thing! I've got some telephoning and notes to attend to myself. Come and knock on my door when you're ready, Austin." "You have a good deal of courage," remarked Uncle Mat, nodding in Sylvia's direction as she went down the hall. "Perhaps you think effrontery would be the better word." "Not at all, my dear boy--you misunderstand me completely. Sylvia's the dearest thing in the world to me, and I've been worrying a good deal about her remarriage, which I knew was bound to come sooner or later. I'm more than satisfied and pleased at her choice--I'm relieved." "Thank you. It's good to know you feel that way, even if I don't deserve it." "You do deserve it. In speaking of courage, I meant that the poor husband of a rich wife always has a good deal to contend with; and aside from the money question, you're supersensitive about what you consider your lack of advantages and polish--though Heaven knows you don't need to be!" he added, glancing with satisfaction at the handsome, well-groomed figure stretched out before him. "I never saw any one pick up the veneer of good society, so called, as rapidly as you have. It shows that real good breeding was back of it all the time."