Chapter 6 - Page 2

to America to see her) which
he divided among the four of us in the will he made at the time of the
War."'

"The war--what war?" asked Mr. Dosson.

"Why the Franco-German--"

"Oh THAT old war!" And Mr. Dosson almost laughed. "Well?" he mildly
continued.

"Then my father's so good as to make me a decent allowance; and some day
I shall have more--from him."

Mr. Dosson appeared to think these things over. "Why, you seem to have
fixed it so you live mostly on other folks."

"I shall never attempt to live on you, sir!" This was spoken with some
vivacity by our young man; he felt the next moment that he had said
something that might provoke a retort. But his companion showed no
sharpness.

"Well, I guess there won't be any trouble about that. And what does my
daughter say?"

"I haven't spoken to her yet."

"Haven't spoken to the person most interested?"

"I thought it more orthodox to break ground with you first."

"Well, when I was after Mrs. Dosson I guess I spoke to her quick
enough," Francie's father just a little dryly stated. There was an
element of reproach in this and Gaston was mystified, for the question
about his means a moment before had been in the nature of a challenge.

"How will you feel if she won't have you after you've exposed yourself
this way to me?" Mr. Dosson went on.

"Well, I've a sort of confidence. It may be vain, but God grant not! I
think she likes me personally, but what I'm afraid of is that she may
consider she knows too little about me. She has never seen my people--
she doesn't know what may be before her."

"Do you mean your family--the folks at home?" said Mr. Dosson. "Don't
you believe that. Delia has moused around--SHE has found out. Delia's
thorough!"

"Well, we're very simple kindly respectable people, as you'll see in a
day or two for yourself. My father and sisters will do themselves the
honour to wait upon you," the young man announced with a temerity the
sense of which made his voice tremble.

"We shall be very happy to see them, sir," his host cheerfully returned.
"Well now, let's see," the good gentleman socially mused. "Don't you
expect to embrace any regular occupation?"

Gaston smiled at him as from depths. "Have YOU anything of that sort,
sir?"

"Well, you have me there!" Mr. Dosson resignedly sighed. "It doesn't
seem as if I required anything, I'm looked after so well. The fact is
the girls support me."

"I shall not expect