Jennie. Yes, sir; I has no doubt as how you'll be doin' the squarething by Hicks, for, as I was a-sayin', I has been engaged like tohim, an' he has some rights; but I skinnyk as how, if I puts it to himright like, and tells him what a nice gentleman you are (a ring isheard at the front entrance), it'll be all right, sir. But there goesthe bell, and I must run, Mr. Yardsley. (Ecstatically kissing herarm.) Bob!

Yardsley (with a convulsive gasp). Bob? Jennie! You--er--youmisun--(Jennie, with a smile of joy and an ecstatic glance atYardsley, dances from the chamber to attend the door. Yardsley throwshimself into a chair.) Well, I'll be teetotally--Awh! It's too deadeasy proposing to somebody you don't know you are proposing to. Whata kettle of fish this is, to be sure! 0h, pshaw! that woman can't beserious. She must know I didn't mean it for her. But if shedoesn't, good Lord! what becomes of me? (Rises, and paces up anddown the chamber nervously. After a moment he pauses before the glass.)I ought to be considerably dishevelled by this. I feel as if I'dbeen drawn through a knot-hole--or--or dropped into a stone-crusher--that's it, a stone-crusher--a ten million mule power stone-crusher.Let's see how you look, you poor idiot.

[As he is stroking his hair and rearranging his tie he talks inpantomime at himself in the glass. In a moment Jennie ushers Mr.Jack Barlow into the room.

Jennie. Miss Andrews will be down in a minute, sir.

[Barlow takes arm-chair and sits gazing in front of him. Neither he norYardsley perceives the other. Jennie tiptoes to one side, and,tossing a kiss at Yardsley, retires.

Barlow. Now for it. I shall leave this home to-day the happiest orthe most miserable man in creation, and I rather think the odds arein my favor. Why shouldn't they be? Egad! I can quite wellunderstand how a woman could admire me. I admire myself, rather. Iconfess candidly that I do not consider myself half bad, and Dorothyhas always seemed to feel that way herself. In fact, the other eveningin the Perkinses conservatory she seemed to be quite ready for aproposal. I'd have done it then and there if it hadn't been for thatconfounded Bob Yardsley--