erratic and cross-grained old lady, and her silence now had forced
her nephew uncomfortably to suspect that she might have changed
her mind.

"Darn it!" said the engaging youth to himself "It's none of her
business, anyway, what I do!" But it made him acutely uneasy none
the less. He was the possessor of a good income, as he stood
there, this mild little blond; it came to him steadily and
regularly, with no effort at all on his part, but, with his aunt's
million--it must be at least that--he felt that he would have been
much happier. There it was, safe in the family, and she was
seventy-six, and without a direct heir. It would be too bad to
miss it now!

He thought of it a great deal, was thinking of it this moment, in
fact, and Leila suspected that he was. But Mrs. Buckney, aside
from a half-formed wish that young persons were more demonstrative
in these days, and that the wedding might be soon, had not a care
in the world, and, after a moment's unresponsive silence, returned
blithely to her query about Clarence Breckenridge.

"I haven't seen him," responded one of her daughters presently.
"Funny, too! Last year he didn't miss a day."

"Of course he'll get the cup as usual, this year," Mrs. Buckney
said brightly. "But I don't suppose young people with their heads
full of wedding plans will care much about the golf!" she added
courageously.

To this Miss Leila answered only with a weary shrug.