vigorously. "You know I wouldn’t have let him marry you if I hadn’t been
pretty sure as you were different from Lucinda an’ the common run."

And then she beamed on them both and Jack beamed on them both and Mrs.
Rosscott kissed each of them and dried her own happy eyes.

"Now I want to know jus’ how an’ where you learned to love him?" the aunt
asked next.

"I loved him almost directly I knew him," she answered, and at that Aunt
Mary seemed on the point of applauding with the ear-trumpet against the
headboard.

"It was jus’ the same with me," she said delightedly. "He was only a baby
then, but the first look I took I jus’ had a feelin’—"

"Yes," said Mrs. Rosscott sympathetically, "so did I."

They all laughed together.

"An’ now," said Aunt Mary, laying back and folding her arms upon her
bosom, "an’ now comes the main question,—when do you two want to be
married?"

"Oh!" said the widow starting, "we—I—Jack—"

"Well, go on," said Aunt Mary. "Say whenever you like. An’ then Jack can
do the same."

The two young people exchanged glances.