“I know you now,” she said. “At first I didn’t associate you with the Mr. Wolfe of whom father speaks so often, his old college friend.”
“I am the son of his old friend,” said Mr. Wolfe.
“You will be very welcome,” said Shirley.
She introduced him to Mabel, who had been much interested in their talk.
Mr. Wolfe said after a few minutes, “I knew, of course, that Mr. Willing had a daughter, but I had never heard of twins.”
“Yes; this troublesome brother of yours.”
Mr. Wolfe looked at her for a few moments, then a smile spread over his face.
“You see what?” demanded Shirley anxiously.
Shirley blushed, and hid her head in her hands.
“Have no fear,” said the young man, “I shall say nothing about it. If you care to tell me why you masqueraded, I shall be honored, but I shall not press you for an explanation; and I will never mention it.”
“Thank you,” said Shirley. “There is no reason why I cannot tell you, if you will promise to keep the secret.”
Shirley then gave him an account of her adventures and their cause. When she finished, young Wolfe looked at her in undisguised admiration.
“By Jove!” he exclaimed. “You are plucky. And you are doing all this for the boy you call Jimmy Smith?”
“Yes,” said Wolfe, “you are indeed a brave girl, and I am proud to know you.”
“You will, of course, ride out with us,” said Shirley.
“I shall be pleased,” returned the young man, with a bow.
Mr. Willing met them as they stepped from the train.
Then he saw the young man. He looked at him long and earnestly, and then before either of the girls could speak, he said:
“I am,” said the young man, smiling and extending his hand.
“I thought I could not be mistaken,” said Mr. Willing. “You are your father all over again.”
“Mr. Wolfe,” he said, “allow me to introduce you to my daughter.” He turned to Mabel, “and——”
“We have already met, Daddy,” laughed Shirley. “Mr. Wolfe made himself known to us on the train.”
“Never mind now, Daddy,” said Shirley. “It’s a long story.”
“Well,” muttered Mr. Willing to himself, “all right, but the young people now-a-days aren’t like they were in my day.”
Then he climbed into the large automobile and Frank started it.
It was Shirley who spoke. Mr. Willing looked up from his morning paper and turned his eyes toward the distant pike. Between the fields of tall hemp, a quarter of a mile away, a solitary horseman was approaching.
