“Well, Traverse, though I ought not to say it, she will make you the better wife of the two.  You are not blind, and if a daughter is loving, unselfish and sympathetic to her old father, she will make a good wife.  Success to your wooing, though it looks to me as if it might be a tough job.  If you win her, you shall have my blessing with her; but do not take her away from me, Traverse.  You will not have long to wait, and I should miss her sadly.”

“Well, there seems to be no sign of a speedy marriage at present,” was the smiling reply, as he took a seat by the window, “but I hope your life will be spared for a long while yet.  Do not say anything about my calling here this afternoon.  Dexie does not seem in the humor to hear a proposal yet; but I am going to take advantage of the first chance, so you may expect news at any time.”

“Well, Traverse, I shall watch the progress you make, sub rosa.  It will add quite an interest to the monotonous life I spend here on my back.”

“You may not have long to wait, for I am going to press the matter at the earliest opportunity, even though I may get a positive refusal for my answer,” was the laughing reply.  “I have bought the ring, so you see I have some hope.”

“Well, upon my word, Traverse! that is taking time by the forelock, sure enough.  I must be even blinder than I thought, if there are enough signs for you to go that far already.  She wears a ring now that has given rise to much gossip, but I cannot get at the truth of the matter.  She will not tell me her secrets as she used to do; so take care, Traverse, the giver of that ring may be in your way, after all.”

“I’ll risk it, Mr. Sherwood,” he said, smiling.  “But the young ladies have just turned the corner; I shall have to escape by the side-door.  Good afternoon, Mr. Sherwood, you have made me very happy,” and after a cordial hand-clasp Guy left the house.

“Strange that I never mistrusted that it was Dexie he was after all this time,” thought Mr. Sherwood.  “Yet I might have guessed, if I had given it a thought, for he never asks after Gussie when he calls, and it is always Dexie he brings home when the girls are out—­when she will let him,” and he laughed softly, as he remembered the playful account that Traverse had given him of the trouble he had in keeping Dexie in sight, and how she had escaped him sometimes by changing hats with one of her friends at the last moment, and so bewildering him by her changed appearance that it was hard to catch her until she was almost home.

“I must find out if she has anything against him; perhaps I can speed the wooing.  She will need a protector soon, brave, independent little woman though she is.”

The entrance of his daughters at this moment put an end to his thoughts, and led him to notice once more the difference between the twins.  Gussie rushed to her rooms at once to view the purchases afresh, but Dexie quietly slipped to his chair to see if he was asleep.