hands of the hairdresser and manicurist, he led her mother to a secluded
veranda corner and boldly plunged into an explanation.

"I have no doubt you thought it a little strange, Mrs. Allen," he began,
"my appearing to follow you down here, but really--"

"There, there, Decatur, it isn't at all necessary. It was all perfectly
natural and entirely proper. In fact, I quite understood."

"But I'm afraid that you--"

"Oh, but I do comprehend. We old folks are not blind. When it was a
matter of those foreign gentlemen, German barons, Italian counts,
Austrian princes, and so on, I was extremely particular, perhaps
overparticular. Their titles are so often shoddy. But I know all about
you. You come from almost as good New England stock as we do. You are
talented, almost famous. Besides, your attachment is of no sudden
growth. It has stood the test of years. Yes, my dear Decatur, I heartily
approve of you. However"--here she rested a plump forefinger simperingly
on the first of her two chins, "your fate rests with Mabel, you know."

Once or twice he had gaspingly tried to stop her, but smilingly she had
waved him aside. When she ended he was speechless. Could he tell her,
after all that, what a precious bore her exquisite Mabel was to him? It
had been difficult enough when the situation was only a tacit one, but
now that it had been definitely expressed--well, it was proving to be a
good deal like those net snares which hunters of circus animals use, the
more he struggled to free himself the more he became entangled.

Abruptly, silently, he took his leave of Mrs. Allen. He feared that if