FROM THE LIFE
happened—but her report to Millie is negligible. From that night both the girls ceased to exist as factors in Wat's life; he saw them and heard them thereafter only absent-mindedly.
Mrs. Tyler's report was made in voluble excitement to her husband, who listened, frowning, over his cigar. "And, Tom, you wouldn't have known him," she said. "He wasn't like—like himself at all! It was so pretty. They're so in love with each other. She's such a sweet girl."
"Well," he grumbled, "I'll have nothing to do with it. It's in your department. If it was one of the girls it 'd be different. I suppose Wat '11 have to do his own marrying. He's old enough. I hope she'll make a man of him."
"'A man of him'! She! Why, she's as— No, indeed! You ought to see the way she defers to him. She's as proud of him! And he's as different!"
He was unconvinced. "I'm glad to hear it. You'd better go and look after Millie. She accuses him of assault and battery."
"It serves her right. I'll not go near her. And, Tom," she said, "he wants to talk to you about a plan he has for the railway—for using electric light to run it, or something like that."
"Huh! Who put that in his head?"
"Oh, he made it up himself. Her brother's an engineer, and they've been talking about it."
[ 294 ]