"I won't utter another syllable. But, for goodness' sake, hurry up. I want to know all sorts of things."
"Well, the most important thing is that I'm expecting to be a happy father in three or four months."
"Oh, Eddie, I'm so glad! How happy Gertie must be."
"She doesn't know what to make of it. But I guess she's pleased right enough. She sends you her love and says she hopes you'll follow her example very soon."
"I?" said Nora sharply. "But," she added with a return to her gay tone, "you've not told me what you're doing in this part of the world, anyway."
"Anyway?"
Nora blushed. "I've practically spoken to no one but Frank for months; it's natural that I should fall into his way of speaking."
"Well, when I got Frank's letter about the clearing-machine——"
"Frank has written to you?"
"Why, yes; didn't you know? He said there was a clearing-machine going cheap at Prentice. I've always thought I could make money down our way if I had one. They say you can clear from three to four acres a day with one. Frank thought it was worth my while to come and have a look at it and he said he guessed you'd be glad to see me."