facts concerning Brock's antecedents. She was properly relieved to find
that he came of a fine old family and that he had led more than one
cotillion in New York.

He experienced a remarkable change of front in respect to Roxbury
Medcroft before the breakfast was over. It may have been due to the
spell of her eyes or to the call of her voice, but it remains an
unchallenged fact that he no longer thought of Medcroft as a stupid
bungler; instead, he had come to regard him as a good and irreproachable
Samaritan. All of which goes to prove that a divinity shapes our ends,
rough hew them how we may.

"I'm sure we shall get on famously," he said, as she signified her
desire to return to the compartment. "I've always longed for a nice,
agreeable sister-in-law."

"Her mission in life, up to a certain stage, is to make the man
appreciate the fact that he has, after all, been snapped up by a small
but deserving family," she said blithely. "It is also her duty to pour
oil on troubled waters and strew flowers along the connubial highway,
so long as her kind offices are not resented. By the way, Roxbury, I am
now about to preserve you from bitter reproaches. You have forgotten to
order coffee and rolls for your wife."

"Great Scott! So I have! It's nine o'clock." He ordered the coffee and
rolls to be sent in at once. "I hope she hasn't starved to death."

"My dear Roxbury," she said sternly, "I must take you under my wing. You
have much to accomplish in the next twenty-four hours, not the least of
your duties being the subjugation of Tootles and Raggles. Tootles is