The next few weeks passed rapidly. Frances had finished her trip to Scotland and was on her way back to London. She was to sail in a few days now. He cabled her to let him know when she started, and three days later she answered. He showed her reply to Miss Winthrop. Sail Monday on the Mauretania, but Dolly wants me to spend next two weeks after arrival in the Adirondacks with her. Miss Winthrop returned the cable with a none too steady hand. "She mustn't do that," she said firmly. "Of course she mustn't," he agreed. "You see, she doesn't know she is to be married right away. Do you think I ought to cable her that?" "I don't think I would," Miss Winthrop replied. "But I would let her know I didn't approve of her arrangement." "Supposing I just say, 'Have other plans for you'?" "That would do," she nodded. So he sent her this message, and that evening at dinner Miss Winthrop spoke to him of another matter. "I don't think you have shown much attention to her parents this summer. Oughtn't you to see them and let them know what you intend?" "Tell Stuyvesant?" he exclaimed. "Why should he object?" she asked. "I don't know as he will. Then again he might. You see, I've never told him just how Dad tied things up." "What difference does that make?" she demanded. "With the house and what you're earning, you have enough." "It isn't as much as he expects a man to give his daughter, though,--not by a long shot." "It's enough," she insisted. "Why, even without the house it would be enough." "Yes," he answered, with a smile. "When you say it--it's enough. I wish Stuyvesant knew you." The blood came into her cheeks. She wished he wouldn't say things like that. "It seems to me you ought to see him and tell him," she said thoughtfully. He shook his head. "What's the use of seeing him until I've seen Frances?" "It's all settled about her." "That she'll marry me in September?" "Of course," she answered excitedly. "Why, she's been waiting a whole year. Do you think she'll want to wait any longer? As soon as she knows how well you've done, why--why, that's the end of it. Of course that's the end of it." "I wish I were as confident as you!" "You must be," she answered firmly. "You mustn't feel any other way. The house is all ready, and you are all ready, and--that's all there is to it." "And Frances is all ready?" "When she promised to marry you she was ready," she declared. "You don't understand. I guess women are different from men. They--they don't make promises like that until they are quite sure, and when they are quite sure they are quite ready. This last year should have been hers. You made a mistake, but there's no sense in keeping on with the mistake. Oh, I'm quite sure of that." She was wearing a light scarf,--this was at Jacques',--and she drew it over her shoulders. Somehow, the unconscious act reminded him of a similar act on the beach at Coney.... CHAPTER XXIV VACATIONS