“I don’t want to say anything to hurt your feelings, but we must get down to cases.  I’m not asking you to deliver anything to me except what was promised long ago—­promised by Kate herself.  And you know what you said when I loaned you five thousand dollars to help you save those stocks.  Excuse me, Mother Kilgour, but I can’t always control my nature; I’ve been in the game with the bunch for a long time and I’m naturally suspicious—­I have seen a good many chaps trimmed, and I don’t propose to have anything put over on me.”

“You are insolent and cruel,” she cried, her cheeks pale.

“I don’t mean you—­I believe you want to help me.  But it’s time to be up and doing.  She doesn’t give me one good reason why she will not be married right away.  It’s only jolly and putting it off.”

“But you are twitting me about the service you have done me!  I am not selling my daughter!”

“That isn’t it at all!  But you must agree that I have been good to you.  I want you to be a friend to me.  But I don’t get anything that’s definite.  If this thing drags on and on the first thing I know some fellow will come along and she’ll fall for him.  That’s the girl nature!”

“You are talking about my daughter, Richard!  She has her father’s disposition and she is true blue.  She has given her promise and she will keep it.”

“When?” he demanded, curtly.

“I can’t drive her.”

“You said you could,” he insisted.  “You said a year ago when I advanced that money that you knew just how to handle her.”

“Are you going to keep twitting me about that money?”

“No; only I’m going to say that you haven’t even told me about what stocks you were protecting.  You haven’t said anything about repaying the loan, Mother Kilgour.  It has been a sort of general stand-off all around for me.  Hold on!  I’m not making a holler!  But I like to be taken in right.  I’m a Dodd, and I can’t help playing to protect myself.”

“It will come around all right, Richard.  You don’t know Kate as I do.  I understand her because I understood her father.  She is rather self-centered.  But she is romantic underneath!  But you know you’re so sort—­sort of—­well, just a business man—­so matter-of-fact.  A girl like Kate needs to be stirred—­her poise shaken—­something like that!”

“Lochinvar business, eh?” he sneered.

“It must be something a little bit out of the ordinary to hurry her, Richard.  Go away, please.  Let me think.  I have an idea.  I must spend a little time on it.”

“How much time?”

“Oh, I don’t know just how much.  Be patient.”

“Mrs. Kilgour, if this thing cannot be put through by you I want you to say so.  I’m at the end of that patience you’re appealing to.  I won’t be fooled.”

“You don’t need to say that you’re Colonel Dodd’s nephew,” she retorted.  “You have all the family traits.”

“Well, there’s one I haven’t got:  I loaned you five thousand dollars without taking security—­and that’s the act of a good friend.  Excuse me, but I’ve got to speak of it—­you need a little reminder.  Four days from now I’ll have my marriage license from the city clerk.  And when I have it in my hands I shall come to you and shall expect that you’ll do your part.”