"'I'd hate to make a vacancy in the wonderful old class of
seventy-nine,' I said.

"'Now, I want to say something, too,' he said, getting serious
again. 'If you have a pet minister who can't afford a holiday,
or you want to help that dressmaker pay off her mortgage, or give
a boost to a poor family who have had diphtheria--don't you think
to help them by tipping off Great Western Preferred. That sort
of charity may sound cheap, but it's likely to cost me hundreds
of thousands. Let me know, and I'll send them checks.'

"'Don't you worry about me,' I said.

"'I am told you are engaged to an Englishman,' he said; 'an
Embassy man at Washington. You aren't making any kind of
mental reservation in his case, are you?'

"'He's the last person I tell anything to,' I said. 'That is,
--anything important, you know.'

"'Then, Miss Jess Hardy,' he said, with his eyes twinkling as
though he were giving an Apostolic benediction at a Vanderbilt
wedding, 'if you'll bring me your four-fifty we'll close the
deal.'

"'Perhaps it would be as well to leave papa out of this,' I
hinted. 'I mean about telling him anything, you know'

"'Oh, distinctly,' he said. 'Fred's a bit old-fashioned and we
must respect his prejudices. Wait till you get him on the