"Boy," he said, "you and I have been great pals, and I want you to be the first to know of a wonderful thing which has happened to me."
"You've beaten Mr. Cosden at golf," Billy guessed.
"It is something which will hurt you for a minute but I want you to show how good a sport you are."
"You're not going to make me live within my allowance?"
"Merry is going to marry me."
"She isn't!" the boy cried, almost bursting into tears. "She isn't,—she's going to marry me!"
"Steady, Billy, steady! Remember what pals we are! You wouldn't want her to marry you if she loved some one else, would you?"
Billy quieted down, swallowing hard but saying nothing.
"Think how many years I have waited for this wonderful thing to happen. Think how many years you have ahead of you in which to have it happen. For it will happen to you, boy,—it must."
"But you are a woman-hater."