d Letter of Destiny

said Eric gently, with a glance at his mother’s picture. “ But I can’t rush out and marry somebody off—hand, can I? And I fear it wouldn’t exactly do to ad— vertise for a wife, even in these days of commercial enterprise. ’ ’

“i Isn’t there anybody you’re fond of? ” queried Mr. Marshall, with the patient air of a man who overlooks the frivolous jests of youth.

“ No. I never yet saw the woman who could make my heart beat any faster.”

“ I don’t know what you young men are made of nowadays,” growled his father. “ I was in love half a dozen times before I was your age.”

“ You might have been ‘in love.’ But you never loved any woman until you met my mother. I know that, father. And it didn’t happen till you were pretty well on in life either.”

“ You’re too hard to please. That’s

what’s the matter, that’s what’s the mat— ter! ”

2’7