"Chuck Henderson?--that duffer?" (Oh, Mr. Robert, Mr. Robert; and
after all I've done for you!)

"He's not a duffer!" remonstrated Nancy, with a flare in her mild
eyes. (How I wish I might have seen her as she defended me!) "He's
the dearest fellow in the world, and I love him with all my heart!"
(How do you like that, Mr. Robert? Bravo, Nancy! I may be a duffer,
true enough, but I rather object to its being called out from the
housetops.) And Nancy added: "I want you to understand distinctly,
Robert, that in my selection of a husband you are not to be
consulted."

This was moving him around some.

"Hold on, Nan! Drat it, don't look like that! I meant nothing,
dearie; only I'm a heap surprised. Chuck _is_ a good fellow,
I'll admit; but I've been dreaming of your marrying a prince or an
ambassador, and Henderson comes like a jolt. Besides, Chuck will
never be anything but a first-rate politician. You'll have to get
used to cheap cigars and four-ply whisky. When is it going to
happen?"

"In June. I have always loved him, Bob. And he wants you to be his
best man."

Robert appeared a bit mollified at this knowledge. "But what shall I
do after that?" he wailed. "You're the only person I can order about,
and now you're going the other side of the range."