Blootch Peabody and Ed Higgins, because of the personal rivalry between themselves, hoped on and on and grew more bitter between themselves, instead of toward Bonner.
[Illustration: "'I beg your pardon,' he said humbly"] Anderson Crow and Eva were delighted and the Misses Crow, after futile efforts to interest the young man in their own wares, fell in with the old folks and exuberantly whispered to the world that "it would be perfectly glorious." Roscoe was not so charitable.

He was soundly disgusted with the thought of losing his friend Bonner in the hated bonds of matrimony.

From his juvenile point of view, it was a fate that a good fellow like Bonner did not deserve.

Even Rosalie was not good enough for him, so he told Bud Long; but Bud, who had worshipped Rosalie with a hopeless devotion through most of his short life, took strong though sheepish exceptions to the remark.

It seemed quite settled in the minds of every one but Bonner and Rosalie themselves.