And Uncle Mac sat himself comfortably down to settle Rose’s fate
while the doctor paced the room, plucking at his beard and knitting
his brows as if he found it hard to see his way.
“Yes, Archie is a good fellow,” he said, answering the question he
had ignored before. “An upright, steady, intelligent lad who will
make an excellent husband if he ever finds out that he has a heart.
I suppose I’m an old fool, but I do like a little more romance in a
young man than he seems to have more warmth and enthusiasm,
you know. Bless the boy! He might be forty instead of three or four
and twenty, he’s so sober, calm, and cool. I’m younger than he is,
and could go a-wooing like a Romeo if I had any heart to offer a
woman.?
The doctor looked rather shamefaced as he spoke, and his brother
burst out laughing. “See here, Alec, it’s a pity so much romance
and excellence as yours should be lost, so why don’t you set these
young fellows an example and go a-wooing yourself? Jessie has
been wondering how you have managed to keep from falling in
love with Phebe all this time, and Clara is quite sure that you
waited only till she was safe under Aunt Plenty’s wing to offer
yourself in the good old-fashioned style.?
“I!” And the doctor stood aghast at the mere idea, then he gave a
resigned sort of sigh and added like a martyr, “If those dear women
would let me alone, I’d thank them forever. Put the idea out of
their minds for heaven’s sake, Mac, or I shall be having that poor
girl flung at my head and her comfort destroyed. She is a fine
creature and I’m proud of her, but she deserves a better lot than to
be tied to an old fellow like me whose only merit is his fidelity.?
“As you please, I was only joking,” and Uncle Mac dropped the
subject with secret relief. The excellent man thought a good deal
of family and had been rather worried at the hints of the ladies.
After a moment’s silence he returned to a former topic, which was
rather a pet plan of his. “I don’t think you do Archie justice, Alec.
You don’t know him as well as I do, but you’ll find that he has
heart enough under his cool, quiet manner. I’ve grown very fond of
him, think highly of him, and don’t see how you could do better for
Rose than to give her to him.?
“If she will go,” said the doctor, smiling at his brother’s
businesslike way of disposing of the young people.
“She’ll do anything to please you,” began Uncle Mac in perfect
good faith, for twenty-five years in the society of a very prosaic
wife had taken nearly all the romance out of him.
“It is of no use for us to plan, and I shall never interfere except to
advise, and if I were to choose one of the boys, I should incline to
my godson,” answered the doctor gravely.
“What, my Ugly Duckling!” exclaimed Uncle Mac in great
surprise.
“The Ugly Duckling turned out a swan, you remember. I’ve always
been fond of the boy because he’s so genuine and original. Crude
as a green apple now, but sound at the core, and only needs time to
ripen. I’m sure he’ll turn out a capital specimen of the Campbell
variety.?
“Much obliged, Alec, but it will never do at all. He’s a good fellow,
and may do something to be proud of by and by, but he’s not the
mate for our Rose. She needs someone who can manage her
property when we are gone, and Archie is the man for that, depend
upon it.?
“Confound the property!” cried Dr. Alec impetuously. “I want her
to be happy, and I don’t care how soon she gets rid of her money if
it is going to be a millstone round her neck. I declare to you, I
dreaded the thought of this time so much that I’ve kept her away as
long as I could and trembled whenever a young fellow joined us