Janice, divided in mind by the recollection of his treatment of them and by her fear of the future, extended her own and allowed it to be shaken, as the easiest means of escaping the still more difficult verbal response.

“Are n’t you going to ask me in?” inquired the caller, “for I’ve got something to say.”

“I did n’t know that you would want to,” faltered Janice, making entrance for him.  “Mommy will be gla—­will be in the parlour,” she said, leading the way to that room.

Without circumlocution, Bagby went at the object of his call the moment the equally embarrassing meeting with Mrs. Meredith was over.

“I came up to town,” he announced,” to ’tend Congress, of which I’m now a member;” and here the speaker paused as if to let the new dignity come home to his hearers.  “Did n’t I tell you I was a rising man?  But I had another object in view in being so prompt, and that was to have a talk with you to see if we can ’t arrange things.  ’T is n’t given to every girl to marry a Congressman, eh, miss?”

“I—­I—­suppose not,” stammered Janice, frightened, yet with an intense desire to laugh.

“Before I say anything as to that,” went on Bagby, “I want to tell you that I’ve been a good friend of yours.  Old Hennion, who ’s come out hating your dad the worst way, was for introducing a bill in Assembly last session declaring his lands forfeited, but I told him I’d not have it.”

“’T is but a duty man owes to prevent evil deeds,” said Mrs. Meredith.

“We are very grateful, Mr. Bagby,” Janice thought it was necessary to add, with not a little surprise in her voice.

“That’s what I guessed you’d be,” said the legislator.  “Says I to myself, ’They’ve made a mistake as to the side they took but when they see that the British is beat, they’ll do most anything to put themselves right again and save their property.’  Now, if Miss Janice will marry me, there is n’t any reason why you should n’t all come back to Greenwood and live as fine as a fivepence.”

“We should not be willing to give thee our daughter, Mr. Bagby, even were she.”

“But I am—­for the compliment you offer, sir, I thank you,” interjected Janice.

“Now, you just listen to reason,” protested Joe.  “You must n’t think it ’s only the property I’m set on.  I’ve made a swipe of money in the last year—­nigh forty thousand dollars—­ Continental—­so I can afford to marry whom I like; and though I own that thirty thousand acres is no smouch of land, yet I’m really soft on Miss Janice, and would marry her even if she had n’t money, now that I’ve got some of my own.”

“It can make no difference, Mr. Bagby,” replied the mother.  “Neither her father nor I would consent to her wedding thee, and I know her wishes accord with ours.”

Joe, with a somewhat bewildered face and a decidedly awkward movement, picked up his hat.  “It don’t seem possible,” he said, “that you’ll throw away all that property; for, of course, I’m not going to stand between you and old Hennion when you show yourselves so unfriendly.”