How
could you have ever thought such a man as he is lacking in seriousness
of purpose, dear?"
"I feel sure that it was just my own frivolous streak that called out
the frivolous in Polk, Jane dear," I answered with trepidation, hoping
and praying that the inquisition would not go much further, and trying
to remember just what I had written her about Polk.
"It may have been that," Jane answered, in a most naively relieved tone
of voice. "But you don't know how happy I am, dear, to see that that
streak is only an occasional charming vein that shows in you, but that
you are now settling down steadily to your profession. I feel sure that
when these garden drawings are done, you and Mr. Hall will have found
your correct places in each other's lives and it will be just a glorious
example of how superbly a man and woman can work together at the same
profession. Mr. Hardin and I were talking about it just last night out
on the side porch, and though he said very little I could see how
gratified he was at the honors that had come to you and how much he
likes Mr. Hall."
That settled it, and I made up my mind that when the Harvest Lady left
us to-night to sink behind Old Harpeth, she wasn't going to leave me
weakly lonesome. She doesn't set until two o'clock, and I'm going to
take all the time I need.
And as serious and solemn as I feel over taking such a step for two as I
am deciding on, I can't help looking forward to scribbling a terse and
impersonal account of my having proposed to the man of my choice in this
strong-minded book, adding a few words of sage advice for the Five,
locking it and handing it, key and all, to Jane with a dramatic demand
that she put her hundred thousand dollars in the Trust Company and begin
to choose the Five from those she has had in mind.
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