“Do you mean to tell me that your aunt insists upon you marrying this––hog?”

“Yes,” replied Helen, passionately. “And he’s awful, and I hate him, and I won’t––I just won’t.”

“I think you’re absolutely right,” Gladwin agreed with her.

“Oh, you do?” cried the delighted Helen. Then, turning triumphantly upon her cousin she exclaimed:

“There!”

But Sadie’s one idea did not include Mr. Hogg. She considered the elopement as a separate matter in which Mr. Hogg was in no way involved, wherefore she said:

“But you’ve only known Mr. Gladwin two weeks.”

“I know,” retorted Helen, “but I’ve loved him for four years.”

“You’ve loved Travers Gladwin four years,” said that young man in a voice hollow with wonder.

“And only known him two weeks,” cut in Whitney Barnes. “By Jove, he must be one of those retroactive soul-mates.”