oldest son, Mr. James Sheridan, Junior. Mrs. Sheridan said his father
is very anxious 'to get Jim to marry and settle down,' and she assured
me that 'Jim is right cultivated.' Another of the sons, the youngest
one, caught me looking in the window this afternoon; but they didn't
seem to consider him quite one of themselves, somehow, though Mrs.
Sheridan mentioned that a couple of years or so ago he had been 'right
sick,' and had been to some cure or other. They seemed relieved to
bring the subject back to 'Jim' and his virtues--and to look at me!
The other brother is the middle one, Roscoe; he's the one that owns
the new house across the street, where that young black-sheep of
the Lamhorns, Robert, goes so often. I saw a short, dark young man
standing on the porch with Robert Lamhorn there the other day, so I
suppose that was Roscoe. 'Jim' still lurks in the mists, but I shall
meet him to-night. Papa--" She stepped nearer to him so that he had
to face her, and his eyes were troubled as he did. There may have
been a trouble deep within her own, but she kept their surface merry
with laughter. "Papa, Bibbs is the youngest one's name, and Bibbs
--to the best of our information--is a lunatic. Roscoe is married.
Papa, does it have to be Jim?"

"Mary!" Mrs. Vertrees cried, sharply. "You're outrageous! That's
a perfectly horrible way of talking!"

"Well, I'm close to twenty-four," said Mary, turning to her. "I
haven't been able to like anybody yet that's asked me to marry him,
and maybe I never shall. Until a year or so ago I've had everything
I ever wanted in my life--you and papa gave it all to me--and it's
about time I began to pay back. Unfortunately, I don't know how to
do anything--but something's got to be done."