Earnestly: "Grandmother, try to make the best of this engagement of mine.

When a woman, a woman as experienced and sensible as I am, makes up her mind a certain man is the man for her, is it wise to interfere ?" Madam Bowker, struck by the searching wisdom of this remark, was silenced for the moment.

In the interval of thought she reflected that she would do well to take counsel of herself alone in proceeding to break this engagement.

"You are on the verge of making a terrible misstep, child," said she with a gentleness she had rarely shown even to her favorite grandchild.

"I shall think it over, and you will think it over.