"Tush! you know what I mean," retorted the old gentleman. "You ought to be looking out for a wife. What do you suppose I was thinking the other day, Frank? that it might be a good thing if you and that young lady at Heron Dyke made a match of it. It would heal the family feud, and--and bring all the money on both sides into one bag."
Frank looked at his father in some surprise. "The young lady at Heron Dyke?" repeated he.
"Why, yes," said the old gentleman, testily. "That half-cousin of yours, Miss Ella Winter."
"Did you ever see her, sir?" asked Frank.
"No: how should I? I might as well ask for a sight of the man in the moon."
"I confess that I should like to see Miss Winter," said Frank.
"Zounds! man, why don't you do so, then?"
Frank shook his head. "My respected kinsman would not like to catch me prowling about his preserves at Heron Dyke."
"The young men nowadays are nothing better than a set of molly-coddles," grumbled Mr. Denison with a tinge of contempt. "When I was a young spark--but where's the use of talking?" he abruptly broke off; and Frank laughed again.
"Do you know what day this is, Frank?" presently resumed Mr. Denison.