CHAPTER Twelve.
"What would we have done with-out the duke` ?" I murmured a moment later.
"There's a more important question than that to be answered," said Blakely; "we have still to decide what we shall do with the duke." "I don't understand." "It's my charming way of breaking news gently, sweetheart." "Bad news ?" "Not exactly.

It may annoy you." "It annoys me that you seems afraid to tell it," I said.
"I'm not afraid, not the least bit.

I'm a little ashamed, though.
You see mother is....." "Don't dare adopt an apologizing attitude towards your mother.
Hasn't she done everything in the world for us ?" "There are some things one would rather do for oneself, girlie.

I had quite set my heart on Perry Arnold being best man at our wedding." "And so he shall be." "I wrote him a week ago, and his answer came this morning.

He was delighted, poor chap! He's in Denver, now, and could be here in three days." "You won't need him for three months," I warned.