Anyhow, she's licked me. I'm done. She wants to be married right
away, before we go West. That's why I waited to see you at once.
You're a sensible fellow, Johnnie--no foolishness about you. You
won't object, will you? We men have to take our medicine."

"It's quite out of the question," stammered the unhappy O'Reilly.

"Come, come! It's tough on you, I know, but--" The fuse had begun
to sputter. Johnnie had a horrified vision of himself being
dragged unwillingly to the altar. "Elsa is going to have what she
wants, if I have to break something. If you'll be sensible I'll
stand behind you like a father and teach you the business. I'm
getting old, and Ethelbert could never learn it. Otherwise--" The
old man's jaw set; his eyes began to gleam angrily.

"Who is--Ethelbert?" faintly inquired O'Reilly.

"Why, dammit! He's the fellow I've been telling you about. He's
not so bad as he sounds; he's really a nice boy--"

"Elsa is in love with another man? Is that what you mean?"

"Good Lord, yes! Don't you understand English? I didn't think
you'd take it so hard--I was going to make a place for you here in
the office, but of course if--Say! What the deuce ails you?"

Samuel Carter stared with amazement, for the injured victim of his
daughter's fickleness had leaped to his feet and was shaking his
hand vigorously, meanwhile uttering unintelligible sounds that
seemed to signify relief, pleasure, delight--anything except what