"
"Thank you," said Jane, entering and taking the chair Canler
placed for her. "I only wanted to tell papa that Tobey is
coming down from the college tomorrow to pack his books. I
want you to be sure, papa, to indicate all that you can do
without until fall. Please don't carry this entire library to
Wisconsin, as you would have carried it to Africa, if I had
not put my foot down."
"Was Tobey here?" asked Professor Porter.
"Yes, I just left him. He and Esmeralda are exchanging
religious experiences on the back porch now."
"Tut, tut, I must see him at once!" cried the professor.
"Excuse me just a moment, children," and the old man
hastened from the room.
As soon as he was out of earshot Canler turned to Jane.
"See here, Jane," he said bluntly. "How long is this thing
going on like this? You haven't refused to marry me, but you
haven't promised either. I want to get the license tomorrow,
so that we can be married quietly before you leave for Wisconsin.
I don't care for any fuss or feathers, and I'm sure you
don't either."
The girl turned cold, but she held her head bravely.
"Your father wishes it, you know," added Canler.
"Yes, I know."
She spoke scarcely above a whisper.
"Do you realize that you are buying me, Mr. Canler?" she
said finally, and in a cold, level voice. "Buying me for a few
paltry dollars? Of course you do, Robert Canler, and the
hope of just such a contingency was in your mind when you
loaned papa the money for that hair-brained escapade, which
but for a most mysterious circumstance would have been
surprisingly successful.
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