so excited I don't know what I'm doing, that's all. A man may be
excused for a lot of brainstorm antics when he's going to be married
again. It--"

"Married again? I thought you said you'd never--"

"What I mean is this: I was going to be married once and now I'm going
to be married again. See? Oh, you know what I mean. I'm just
driveling--simply driveling with joy. We fixed it all up fifteen
minutes after we got together. You might congratulate me, Mr. Bingle."

"God bless my soul! Congratulate you on what?"

"I'm going to marry your governess."




CHAPTER IX

THE MAN CALLED HINMAN


Bright and early on Christmas morning, Mr. Sydney Force walked slowly,
even irresolutely up the broad avenue leading to Mr. Bingle's
stupendous door-step. The snow had been cleared off of the narrow
footpath, but the president of the great city bank was so deeply
engrossed that he failed to take advantage of this singular
demonstration of worthiness on the part of Edgecomb and his assistants
so soon after the break of dawn. As a matter of fact, he had forgotten