shorten his stay in America, but even compel him to leave The Lookout
sooner than he expected, perhaps to-morrow. Mainwaring thanked her with
his eyes, and then turned to Mrs. Bradley.

"Whether I go to-morrow or next day," he said with simple and earnest
directness, "I intend, you know, to see you soon again, either here or
in my own home in England. I do not know," he added with marked gravity,
"that I have succeeded in convincing you that I have made your family
already well known to my people, and that"--he fixed his eyes with a
meaning look on Louise--"no matter when, or in what way, you come to
them, your place is made ready for you. You may not like them, you know:
the governor is getting to be an old man--perhaps too old for young
Americans--but THEY will like YOU, and you must put up with that. My
mother and sisters know Miss Macy as well as I do, and will make her one
of the family."

The conscientious earnestness with which these apparent
conventionalities were uttered, and some occult quality of quiet
conviction in the young man's manner, brought a pleasant sparkle to the
eyes of Mrs. Bradley and Louise.

"But," said Mrs. Bradley, gayly, "our going to England is quite beyond
our present wildest dreams; nothing but a windfall, an unexpected
rise in timber, or even the tabooed hotel speculation, could make it
possible."

"But I shall take the liberty of trying to present it to Mr. Bradley
tonight in some practical way that may convince even his critical
judgment," said Mainwaring, still seriously. "It will be," he added more
lightly, "the famous testimonial of my cure which I promised you."