Lilian was waiting for me in the dining-room. Of course she wished to know “what that man wanted;” and I turned off the affair as best I could. I sat down, and for a sick man who found it necessary to take medicine, I ate a very hearty dinner.

“Well, my dear, how do you like the house, and housekeeping?” I said, in order to turn the subject from “that man.”

“Very much, indeed, Paley. The only draw-back is that mother feels so badly about it.”

“O, well! she will get over it in a few days.”

“Do you know, Paley, that I have been thinking of something?” she continued, looking up to me with that peculiar archness which indicated that she had a plan to propose.

“Have you, indeed? Well, that is not very remarkable.”

“I don’t know that it is; but why don’t you ask me what I have been thinking about?”

“Well, my dear, what have you been thinking about?”

“I’ll tell you, since you ask,” laughed she. “We haven’t had anything like a house-warming yet.”