“I want to tell you,” he broke in, “before you say anything more, that I never believe in putting one’s fingers into love affairs, and I shouldn’t in this case if the boss didn’t feel so keen about it, but I don’t choose to be the one to stand in her way. And now I’m not offering my daughter’s hand. You know as well as I that Agnes isn’t the kind of girl who needs a prospectus or a gold clause to work her off. If she dropped her handkerchief to-morrow, fifty men would be scrambling for it, eh?” “Yes.” Then I added, “And, Mr. Blodgett, I can’t find the words to tell how I thank you both for such a compliment. If”— “I knew you wouldn’t misunderstand me,” he went on. “It’s a good deal of a start in life to be born a gentleman.” “But, Mr. Blodgett,” I said, “there has been a mistake. I—it is hard to say, but”—then I faltered. He looked at me keenly for a moment. “So the boss was wrong? It’s only friendship, not love?” “Just what she has given to me,” I answered. “Very well. Then if you want to please the boss—and me—let that friendship grow into something better. But don’t misunderstand me. You must win Agnes, if she is won. We do nothing.” “Mr. Blodgett, should you be willing to let me try to win Miss Agnes, if I tell you that I do not love her as a man should love the woman he seeks for his wife?” “Marriage is a funny business,” he responded. “Now there’s the boss. When I married her I thought she was so and so; little by little I found she wasn’t; but by the time I had found it out I wouldn’t have swapped her for ten of the women I had thought she was. Some men have no business to marry unless they’re pretty strongly attached, for they don’t run steady; but you’re a fellow that would keep in the traces no matter what happened, and before long you’d find yourself mighty fond of Agnes. A sense of duty is about as good a basis to marry on, if there’s natural sympathy and liking, as all this ideal make-believe. I don’t think you dislike Agnes, do you?” “Indeed, no!” I exclaimed. “Nobody could. She is too charming and sweet for any one to do that. Miss Agnes deserves far more than I can bring her. What have I to give in return for all this?”