"You've had a change of heart," said his father, with a smile. "It was West Point last week."
"Well, it will be Annapolis next week," the lad declared; and then, as if to explain his abandonment of a military career, "In the Navy you get to see the world, and in the Army you're likely to be stuck away at some awful place on the Plains where you never see anything. The Indians are nearly all killed anyhow."
"We hear a good deal nowadays about the higher education of woman," Mrs. Bassett remarked, "and I suppose girls should be prepared to earn their own living. Mothers of daughters have that to think about."
Miss Marian, catching Dan's eye, smiled as though to express her full appreciation of the humor of her mother's remark.
"Mama learned that from my Aunt Sally," she ventured; and Dan saw that she was an independent spirit, given to daring sayings, and indulged in them by her parents.
"Well, Aunt Sally is the wisest woman in the world," replied Mrs. Bassett, with emphasis. "It would be to your credit if you followed her, my dear."
Marian ignored her mother's rebuke and addressed herself to the visitor.
"Aunt Sally lives in Indianapolis and I go there to Miss Waring's School. I'm just home for Sunday."
"Mrs. Owen is my aunt; you may have heard of her, Mr. Harwood; she was my father's only sister."
"Oh, the Mrs. Owen! Of course every one has heard of her; and I knew that she was Senator Singleton's sister. I am sorry to say I don't know her."