"Then you should advise him to keep single," Ruth said, with a laugh, "for if he gets married, his troubles may begin." "There's risk in everything, no doubt," William said meditatively. "Still, if I were in his place, I should take the risk." "You would?" Ruth questioned, arching her eyebrows, "and you a bachelor?" "Ah, that is my misfortune," William answered, looking hard at a picture on the wall. "But Sam's way is quite clear." "Is it?" "He's a good fellow, too, is Sam. Never a word of slander has been breathed against his name since he was born. He'll make a good husband, whoever gets him." "I did not know you had such a cousin till last evening," Ruth said meaningly. "Oh, well, no. We've never seen very much of each other. You see, the Tremails have always been rather big people, and then we have lived a long way apart, and I have never cared to presume on my relationship." "So he has hunted you up?" "Well, yes. He came to see me just a fortnight ago or so, and he has ridden over once or twice since. Don't you think he's a fine, handsome fellow?" "Yes; he is not bad-looking." "Oh, I call him handsome. It must be nice to be young and have so much strength and energy." "Well, are you not young?" "I'm ten years older than Sam," he said, a little sadly, "and ten years is a big slice out of one's life." "Are you growing pessimistic?" she questioned. "You are usually so hopeful." "There are some things too good to hope for," he replied, "too beautiful, too far away. I almost envy a man like my Cousin Sam. He has everything within his reach." "You seem to be quite enthusiastic about your cousin," she said, with a smile. "Am I? Oh, well, you know, he is my cousin, and a good fellow, and if I can speak a good--I mean, if I can appreciate--that is, if I can cultivate a right feeling toward him, and--and--all that, you know, don't you think I ought to do so?" "Oh, no doubt," Ruth said, laughing. "It's generally well to be on good terms with one's relations--at least so I've been told," and she went to the door and looked out into the darkness. Ruth came back again after a few moments, and turned the lamp a little higher. "Ralph is much longer than I expected he would be," she remarked, without looking at William. "Perhaps Mr. Telfer was out," he suggested. "I don't think that. You see he went by appointment. I expect it has taken them longer to square their accounts than they thought." "I hope Ralph will come well out of it," he said musingly. "He's had a rough time of it so far." "I am sometimes afraid he will grow bitter and give up. He has talked again and again of trying his fortune abroad." "But if he went abroad, what would become of you?" William asked, with a sudden touch of anxiety in his voice. "He would send for me when he got settled." William gave a little gasp. "Would you like to go abroad?" he questioned.