"Carey replied: 'Since your daughter has heard of the matter, it does concern her, and I shall very gladly explain to her; but I cannot to any one else, not even to you.'
"'You could easily impose upon a silly girl who is in love, but I am no silly girl, and am not in love, especially not with you, and you will have to explain to me,' said the lady.
"'My dear madam,' said Carey, mildly, 'in one sense there is nothing in all that gossip. In another sense so much is involved that I would not under the rack whisper a word of it to any soul on earth save she who has promised to give her happiness into my keeping. When your daughter becomes my wife your authority as mother in our home shall never be questioned by me. Until then my business is not with you.'
"'It is not worth while to prolong this discussion,' said the old lady, excitedly. 'If you have nothing more to say, I will bid you good evening.'
"'Good evening, madam,' said Carey, and went out into the night.
"A year later the young lady married the wildest rake on the Comstock, but Carey never married, and died last year.
"When Cady saw how things were going, he went to Carey and said: 'Carey, let me go and explain to those ladies. It kills me to see you as your are.'
"'It will never do,' was the reply. 'They would not keep the secret, especially the elder one never would. It would kill her not to get even with your wife. It worried me a little at first, for I feared that —— might grieve some and be disappointed; but she is all right. I watched her covertly at the play last night. She will forget me in a month. She will be married within the year. We will take no chance of having your home made unhappy. Dear friend, it is all just as I would have it.'"
"It was too bad," said Harding.
"That Carey was a right noble fellow," was Wright's comment.