"A friend of Dr. Hancock's is settled in a flourishing town there. He has a bigger practice than he can attend to, and he sent East for Dr. Hancock to find him an assistant. He has offered the chance to me."
"But it's so far away!"
"I hesitated a long while on that account. You see I didn't know whether Miss Merriam would care for the West."
"Weren't you taking a good deal for granted?"
"You're finding me guilty just as she has. But of course a man has to think about what he has to offer a wife. I suppose you think I'm queer to talk about this with you," he broke off his story to say, "but I haven't said a word about it to any one and it has been driving me wild so it's a great relief if you'll let me talk."
Ethel nodded.
"You see, my practice in New York is so small it's ridiculous. You can't ask a girl to marry you when you aren't making enough money to support even yourself. But suppose I should go to Oklahoma where I shall soon make a good living, and then come back and ask her, and find out that she hates the West. Don't you see that I'm not all to blame?"
"Perhaps she wouldn't like you enough to marry you no matter where you lived," suggested Ethel.
Edward heaved a sigh that seemed to come from his very boots and leaned back weakly in his chair.
"There's a certain brutal frankness about you, Ethel Blue, that I never suspected."