“I’d like to take that young boy in hand and shake some of the nonsense out of him that you women have filled him with. He’s got a level head. On the floor every day, and never yet bought a hatful of wheat on his own account. Don’t know the meaning of speculation and don’t want to. There’s a boy with some sense.”

“It’s just as well,” persisted Mrs. Cressler reflectively, “that Laura wouldn’t have him. Of course they’re not made for each other. But I thought that Corthell would have made her happy. But she won’t ever marry ‘ J. ’ He asked her to; she didn’t tell me, but I know he did. And she’s refused him flatly. She won’t marry anybody, she says. Said she didn’t love anybody, and never would. I’d have loved to have seen her married to ‘ J. ,’ but I can see now that they wouldn’t have been congenial; and if Laura wouldn’t have Sheldon Corthell, who was just made for her, I guess it was no use to expect she’d have ‘ J.