He expected her to believe him when he said to her that she was the loveliest of all God's creatures, but it was more than he could believe when she declared that he was as handsome as a Greek god.

That, of course, to him was a ludicrous thing to say, a delusion, a fancy that could not be explained, and yet he had seen himself in a mirror a dozen times a day, perhaps, without even suspecting, in his simplicity, that he was an extremely good-looking chap and well worth a second glance from any one except himself.
The announcement did not come as a surprise to old Mr.Thorpe.He had been expecting it.

He realised that Braden's dilatory tactics alone were accountable for the delay in bringing the issue to a head.
"And when do you expect to be married ?" he had inquired, squinting at his grandson in a somewhat dubious manner.
"Within the year, I hope," said Braden.

"Of course, I shall have to get a bit of a start before we can think of getting married." "A bit of a start, eh?
Expect to get enough of a practice in a year to keep Anne going, do you ?" "We shall live very economically." "Is that your idea or hers ?" "She knows that I have but little more than two thousand a year, but, of course, it won't take much of a practice to add something to that, you know." "Besides, you can always depend upon me to help you out, Braden,--that is, within reason," said the other, watching him narrowly out of his shrewd old eyes.
Braden flushed.

"You have done more than enough for me already, grandfather.