Well, after a terribly anxious night and a worrisome forenoon the doctor told me that father was himself again and wanted to see me at once.  “I’ve said all I can against it,” said the doctor.  “I don’t know what sort of rumpus you two had yesterday, but it came dangerously near being the finish for him.  And it must not be repeated; I’m making that as emphatic as I can.”  I assured him that so far as I was concerned there would not be a scene, and then went in to Dad’s room.  He looked white enough and sick enough but he was rational and his mind was keen and clear.  He got me to tell the whole story about you all over again and he asked a lot of questions; in fact, he cross-examined me pretty thoroughly.  When I had finished his tone was calm, but I noticed that his hand was shaking and he seemed to be holding himself in.  “And so you think you want to marry this down-east country girl, do you?” he said.  “I certainly do,” said I. He laughed, a forced laugh—­didn’t sound like his at all—­and he said:  “Well, my boy, you’ll get over it.  It’s a whole lot better to get over it now than to do so by and by when it’s too late.  It’s a good thing I called you home when I did.  You stay here and keep on with your studies and I’ll keep on getting into shape again.  By next summer, when we go on our fishing trip, you’ll have forgotten all about your Down-Easter.”  Well, that was a staggerer, coming from him.  It didn’t sound like him at all, and again I had that feeling that his mind was going.  You see, Mary, I never asked Dad for anything I didn’t get—­never.  Now, I wasn’t asking, I was just telling him what I had made up my mind to have, and he treated me this way.  I answered him calmly and quietly, telling him I was serious and what you meant to me.  He wouldn’t listen at first; then when he did, he wouldn’t agree.  Pleaded with me—­he was lonesome, I was his only son, he needed me, he couldn’t share me with anyone else, and so on.  There is no use going into all the details.  We didn’t get any nearer an agreement, we did get nearer and nearer to bad temper on my part and shouts and hysterics on his.  So I left him, Mary.  That was last night.  I knew Dad was inclined to be stubborn, and I knew he had strong prejudices, but I never imagined he could behave like this to me.  And I am sure he would not if he were himself.  So I shall say no more to him on the subject for a day or two.  Then, when he is better, as I am hoping he may be soon, he and I will have another talk.  But understand, Mary dear, my mind was made up before I spoke to him at all.  What he says or what he does will make no difference, so far as you and I are concerned.  I know you are a believer in duty; well, so am I. I would stick by Dad through thick and thin.  If I knew he was right in asking me to do or not to do a thing, even if I knew he had been wrong in asking other things, I would stick by him and try to do as he asked.  But not this.  I love Dad, God knows I do, but I love you, Mary, and as I have vowed to myself every day since I last saw you, I am going to marry you if you will only have me.  As for Dad—­well, we’ll hope within a day or two I may have better news to write.