“I could have told you that,” said Mrs. Easterfield, “and saved you all the trouble of taking that walk by the river.”

“And then there is one more thing,” continued Olive; “it is about Professor Lancaster.  I am sure you will agree with me that it will not do for him to come back here.  I am just going to start housekeeping again.  I’ve got the supper on my mind this minute.  You can’t imagine how everything has turned topsy-turvy since I left.  I suppose he will be wanting to go North, anyway.  In fact, he told me so.”

Mrs. Easterfield laughed.  She did not believe that Mr. Lancaster would want to go North, or West, or East, although South might suit him.  But she saw the point of Olive’s request; it would be awkward to have him at the tollhouse.

“Oh, I will take care of him,” she said, “and he shall continue his vacation trip just as soon as Mr. Easterfield and I choose to give him up.”

“You see,” said Olive in an explanatory way, “I have not anything in the world to do with him, but I thought he might want to come back to see uncle again.  And, really,” she added, speaking with a great deal of earnestness, “I don’t want to be bothered with any more young men!  And now I will call uncle.  You know I had to say all these things to you immediately.”

Mrs. Easterfield walked quickly back to her carriage, but she did not wait to see Captain Asher.  As a hostess it was necessary for her to hurry back home; and as a quick-witted, sensible woman she saw that it would be well to leave these two happy people to themselves.  This was not the time for them to talk to her.  So, when the captain, unwilling to wait any longer, appeared at the door of the house, these two dear friends had kissed and parted, and the carriage was speeding away.

On her way home Mrs. Easterfield forgot her slight chagrin at what her husband had not done, in her joy at what he had accomplished.  He had neglected to take her fully into his confidence, and had acted very much as if he had been a naval commander, who had cut his telegraphic connections in order not to be embarrassed by orders from the home government.  But, on the other hand, he had saved her from the terrible shock of hearing Olive declare that she had just engaged herself to Rupert Hemphill.  If it had not been for the extraordinary promptness of her good Tom—­a style of action he had acquired in the railroad business—­it would have been just as likely as not that Olive would have accepted that young man before she had had an opportunity of finding out his want of breadth and cultivation.

CHAPTER XXVII

By Proxy.

About half-past twelve Claude Locker made his appearance in the spacious hall.  He looked out of the front door; he looked out of the back door; he peered into the parlor; he glanced up the stairway; and then he peeped into the library.  He had not seen the lady of the house since her return, and he was waiting for Olive.  This morning his fate was to be positively decided; he would take a position that would allow of no postponement; he would tell her plainly that a statement that she was not prepared to give him an answer that day would be considered by him as a final rejection.  She must haul down her flag or he would surrender and present to her his sword.