“Mr. Thatcher is an old friend of mine,” said Bassett soberly.

“You can be awfully funny when you want to, papa,” replied Marian.  “As we came through Pittsburg this morning I bought a paper that told about ‘Stop, Look, Listen.’  But Allen won’t mind if you do whistle to his father to keep off the track.”

“Mr. Thatcher’s name was never mentioned by me in any such connection,” replied Bassett; but he laughed when Marian leaned over and patted his cheek to express her satisfaction in her father’s cleverness.

“I think it unfortunate that you have gone to war with that man,” remarked Mrs. Bassett wearily.

“You dignify it too much by calling it a war,” Harwood interjected.  “We don’t want such men in politics in this state and somebody has to deal with them.”

“I guess it will be a lively scrap all right enough,” said Marian, delighted at the prospect.  “We’re going to move to the city this fall, Mr. Harwood.  Hasn’t papa told you?”

Mrs. Bassett glanced at her husband with alert suspicion, thinking that perhaps in her absence he had been conniving to this end with Marian.

Bassett smiled at his daughter’s adroitness in taking advantage of Harwood’s presence to introduce this subject; it had been the paramount issue with her for several years.

“I shall be glad enough to stay at Fraserville the rest of my days if I get through another Waupegan summer safely,” said Mrs. Bassett.  “The mere thought of moving is horrible!”

“Oh, we wouldn’t exactly move in coming here; we’d have an apartment in one of these comfortable new houses and come down while the legislature’s in session, so we can be with papa.  And there’s ever so much music here now, and the theatres, and I could have a coming-out party here.  You know I never had one, papa.  And it would be nice to be near Aunt Sally; she’s getting old and needs us.”

“Yes; she undoubtedly does,” said Bassett, with faint irony.

Her daughter’s rapid fire of suggestions wearied Mrs. Bassett.  She turned to Harwood:—­

“Mr. Bassett and Marian have been telling me, Mr. Harwood, that Aunt Sally went back to college with Sylvia Garrison after Professor Kelton’s death.  Poor girl, it’s quite like Aunt Sally to do that.  Sylvia must be very forlorn, with all her people gone.  I think Aunt Sally knew her mother.  I hope the girl isn’t wholly destitute?”

“No, the Professor left a small estate and Miss Garrison expects to teach,” Dan answered.

“Dan is the administrator,” remarked Bassett “I’m sure you will be glad to know that Miss Garrison’s affairs are in good hands, Hallie.”

“Aunt Sally is very fond of you, Mr. Harwood; I hope you appreciate that,” said Mrs Bassett.  “Aunt Sally doesn’t like everybody.”

“Aunt Sally’s a brick, all right,” declared Marian, as an accompaniment to Dan’s expression of his gratification that Mrs. Owen had honored him with her friendship.