“He’s a fine boy with a lot of the right stuff in him.  We’ve been having some lessons together.”

“Tutoring Blackford?  You’ll have to explain the psychological processes that brought that about.”

“Oh, they’re simple enough.  He hadn’t done well in school last year; Mrs. Bassett was troubled about it.  I take him for a couple of hours every morning.  Mrs. Bassett engaged me, and Mr. Bassett approved of the plan.  Allen probably told you all the news, but he didn’t know just how I came to go to Chicago cago to bring Marian home.  It was to keep the news of that automobile smash from Mrs. Bassett, and to save Marian’s own dignity with the Willings.”

“Oh!  You went at her father’s instance, did you?”

“Yes.  I offered to go when I found that he was very angry and likely to deal severely and ungenerously with Marian.  I thought it would be better for me to go.”

“As near as I can make out, you’ve taken the Bassetts on your shoulders.  I didn’t suppose Aunt Sally would stand for that.”

“Aunt Sally doesn’t know why I went to Chicago.  I assume Mrs. Bassett knows I went to bring Marian home, but I don’t know what Mr. Bassett told her about it, and I haven’t seen her since.  It’s possible my going may have displeased her.  Blackford came here for his lessons this morning.”

Dan moved uneasily.  The domestic affairs of the Bassetts did not interest him save as they involved Sylvia.  It was like Sylvia to help them out of their scrapes; but Sylvia was not a person that he could scold or abuse.

“You needed rest and it’s too bad you’ve had to bother with their troubles.  Bassett was on the boat as I came over.  He had a grouch.  He doesn’t look like a happy man.”

“I don’t suppose he is altogether happy.  And I’ve begged Marian not to tell him she wants to marry Allen.  That would certainly not cheer him any, right now.”

“I’m glad you had a chance to do that.  I told Allen to skip right out for Europe and hang on to his mother’s apron strings till I send for him.  This old Capulet and Montague business doesn’t ring quite true in this twentieth century; there’s something unreal about it.  And just what those youngsters can see in each other is beyond me.”

“You must be fair about that.  We haven’t any right to question their sincerity.”

“Oh, Allen is sincere enough; but you’ll have to show me the documents on Marian’s side of it.  She sees in the situation a great lark.  The fact that her father and Thatcher are enemies appeals to her romantic instincts.”

“I think better of it than that, Dan.  She’s a fine, strong, loyal girl with a lot of hard common sense.  But that doesn’t relieve the situation of its immediate dangers.  She’s promised me not to speak to her father yet—­not until she has my consent.  When I see that it can’t be helped, I’m going to speak to Mr Bassett about it myself.”