“But isn’t it nice I don’t have to prove it for a long time to come!” The grandfather’s clock which had belonged to a Bob Lee Tenafee three generations earlier struck seven and she came swiftly to her point. “You know, Cousin ’Gene, I’ve been thinking a lot about Nancy, lately.” “You have, my dear?” “About her future, I mean. Now, it isn’t because I don’t think you’re going to be fit as a fiddle again in no time, and live to be a hundred!” she met the sudden change in his expression merrily. “It is just because she’s such a beauty, and all the men are mad about her, and she’s so sort of--innocent and trusting and _tender_--girls aren’t like that, nowadays, Cousin ’Gene----” “She is the image of her sainted mother,” he declared mistily. “Yes, I know, and loving her as I do, I want to see her find just the finest and best and most splendid fellow--and I feel that we--that you and I must, well, sort of arrange things, Cousin ’Gene. You see, Nancy _is_ so sort of trusting, she could easily be--be--well, sort of romantically carried away--” Mary-Lou Tenafee hadn’t the faintest intention of disclosing the little scene at the mill which had given rise to these apprehensions unless it was absolutely necessary to startle the old gentleman into action, but before her mental vision as she spoke was the sight of Nancy Carey’s hazel gaze upon Luke Manders, her plump, soft hand white against his dark sleeve as she pleaded with him not to let her father stay down more than an hour on his first visit to the Altonia. “What I have in my mind is this, Cousin ’Gene: wouldn’t Peter Parker and our Nancy make a pretty pair?” “Well, by the eternal! That young----” “He’s a sweet lamb of a boy, and being your partner makes it awfully nice, and those millions would be very easy to take, wouldn’t they?” “My daughter’s happiness,” he began, majestically. “Your daughter’s happiness wouldn’t be mussed up a bit by a million or so! Think what it would mean to you, when you’re not well, and things going so badly at the mill, to know that her future was secured!” “Yes, I know, Mary-Lou, it would be a God’s blessing if I could feel--but--is he interested?” “He’s _ready_ to be--time, place, and girl--I’ll manage that. I’ll set the stage, Cousin ’Gene!” “My Lady-bird! I wouldn’t influence her by a feather’s weight if her heart----” “Of course not--nor would I! I’m the _last_ woman in the world to urge anything but a love match.” Mrs. Bob Lee’s brown and velvety gaze grew bright and glistening. “But he’s mighty interesting because he’s different, and don’t you ever think for one second that he’s anybody’s fool!” “Well, now, I never thought that, exactly, but I did think he was pretty--simple, Mary-Lou!” The old gentleman was kindling rapidly to the idea.