“Obeying orders?”
“Yes, his father commanded him to marry me at once––and if he doesn’t obey he will be disinherited and have to become a plumber or something to make a living. His father is Joshua Barnes, the mustard king––you must have heard of him. When I told Auntie who he was she almost collapsed and said something about Joshua Barnes buying and selling twenty hogs––I suppose she meant Jabez Hogg.”
“Why, I never heard of such a thing, Sadie. Mr. Barnes could not have been serious. His father never saw you in his life.”
“Oh, but he telephoned his father all about it before he proposed to me. He was sure I would say yes. He is a wonderful mind-reader and believes in mysteries and Fate. He said the minute he saw me he knew I was his Fate.”
Once more the modest Sadie was in a state bordering on conflagration. Helen’s eye sobered as she looked at and beyond Sadie.
“That was the very thing Travers Gladwin––I mean the real one––said to me,” she mused.
“He did!”
“Yes, and the way things have turned out it would seem”–––
Helen stopped and covered her face with her hands. Sadie ran to her and put her arms about her.