They were all laughing now, including Eva and Guy. The tears were rolling down Custer’s cheeks.
“That editor was guilty of grand larceny when he offered you seven hundred berries for the story. Why, the gem alone is easily worth a thousand. Adieu, Mark Twain! Farewell, Bill Nye! You’ve got ’em all nailed to the post, Guy Thackeray!”
The colonel wiped his eyes.
“I gather,” he said, “that you two children wish to get married. Do I surmise correctly?”
“Oh, popsy, you’re just wonderful!” exclaimed Eva.
“Yes, how did you guess it, father?” asked Custer. “Marvelous deductive faculties for an old gentleman, I’ll say!”
“That will be about all from you, Custer,” admonished the colonel.
“Any time that I let a chance like this slip!” returned young Pennington. “Do you think I have forgotten how those two imps pestered the life out of Grace and me a few short years ago? Nay, nay!”
“I don’t blame Custer a bit,” said Mrs. Evans. “Guy and Eva certainly did make life miserable for him and Grace.”
“That part of it is all right—it is Guy’s affair and Eva’s; but did you hear him refer to me as an old gentleman?”