Sally came on the run, not knowing what had happened. She wore a calico apron and had not found time to do her hair since morning. It was not exactly the costume she would have chosen in which first to meet Mr. Barton. Her cheeks showed it. "Sally," said Don, "this is Mr. Barton--my father's lawyer. Mr. Barton, this is Miss Winthrop." Barton bowed low with old-fashioned courtesy. Then he allowed his keen gray eyes to rest a moment upon hers. "I am very glad to meet you," he said. "Will you come in?" she asked. "I'm afraid the house is very much in disorder just now, but I want you to meet my aunt." Mrs. Halliday was scarcely more presentable than Miss Winthrop, but the latter found a certain relief in that fact. "I'm glad to know you," Mrs. Halliday greeted him cordially. But what to do with him at just this time was a problem which would have baffled her had he not solved it for himself. "Please don't let me interrupt the preparations," he begged. "I should not have ventured here--at just this time--except that I wanted to see Don about a few legal matters." "Mr. Barton," explained Don to Sally, "is the man who had the pleasant duty thrust upon him of telling me that I was cut off without a cent." "It was an unpleasant duty," nodded Barton, "but I hope it may be my good fortune to make up for that." "I'm afraid the only place you can sit is on the front doorstep," laughed Sally. "As good a place as any," answered Don, leading the way. "Well," asked Don good-naturedly as soon as they were seated there, "what's the trouble now? I tell you right off it's got to be something mighty serious to jar me any at just this time." "There was still another codicil to your father's will," explained Barton at once--"a codicil I have not been at liberty to read to you until now. It had, in fact, no point except in the contingency of your marriage." "I hope you aren't going to take the house away from me," scowled Don. "No," answered Barton slowly. "It has to do rather with an additional provision. The substance of it is that in case you married any one--er--meeting with my approval, you were to be given an allowance of two thousand a year." "Eh?" "Two thousand a year. After that, one thousand a year additional for each child born of that marriage until the total allowance amounts to five thousand dollars. At that point the principal itself is to be turned over to you." "Oh, Sally!" called Don. She came running again. It was still four hours before they would be safely married and many things might happen in four hours. "Sit down here and listen to this," he commanded. "Now, do you mind saying that all over again?" Barton repeated his statement. "What do you think of that?" inquired Don. "It's just as though I had my salary raised two thousand a year. Not only that--but the rest is up to you." "Don!" "Well, it is." "And besides," she gasped, "Mr. Barton has not yet said he approves." Mr. Barton arose.