sharply. "I suppose he never has gotten over Gertrude's loss. Yet, if his
sister-in-law had to die, it is a pity it wasn't a little sooner. He was
too old when she died to think of marriage."

"But, dear Deborah, he is not quite too old even yet, if he found a
person of proper age. Not too young, and, of course, not too old."

Miss Deborah did not reply immediately. "Well, I don't know; perhaps
not," she conceded. "I do like a man to be of an age to know his own
mind. That is why I am so surprised at Adele Dale's anxiety to bring
about a match between young Forsythe and Lois, they are neither of them
old enough to know their own minds. And it is scarcely delicate in Adele,
I must say."

"He's a very superior young man," objected Miss Ruth.

"Yes," Miss Deborah acknowledged; "and yet"--she hesitated a little--"I
think he has not quite the--the modesty one expects in a young person."

"Yes, but think how he has seen the world, sister!" cried Miss Ruth. "You
cannot expect him to be just like other young people."

"True," said Miss Deborah, nodding her head; "and yet"--it was evident
from her persistence that Miss Deborah had a grievance of some kind--"yet
he seems to have more than a proper conceit. I heard him talk about
whist, one evening at the rectory; he said something about a person,--a
Pole, I believe,--and his rules in regard to 'signaling.' I asked him if
he played," Miss Deborah continued, her hands showing a little angry
nervousness; "and he said, 'Oh, yes, I learned to play one winter in
Florida!' Learned to play in a winter, indeed! To achieve whist"--Miss