"Father, this is Lanny," Alice said, and fled. The dominie looked up to see a tall, slender, curly-haired youth with eyes as dear and bright as stars. There was no bashfulness in him, and no overconfident forwardness. David liked him, and he was sorry to like him so well. He had a halfformed hope that Lanny would show himself at first glance to be impossible. He was not that so far as his exterior was concerned.
"I don't think we have ever met, Mr. Dean," he said, extending his hand, "but of course I feel as if I knew you--everyone does. Alice told you I want to marry her. Well, I do. I suppose I should have spoken to you before I spoke to her--that's the right way, isn't it?--but I didn't think of that until afterward. I asked her sooner than I meant. I made up my mind I'd wait a year--in another year I'll have saved enough to begin housekeeping right--but it came out of itself, almost. I liked her so much I just couldn't help it; I guess that's the answer."
"Yes, Alice told me you had asked her," said David. "She also told me she had accepted."
"Yes," said Lanny, taking the chair David indicated. "I can't tell you, Mr. Dean, how much I think of her--how much--well, I never thought for a minute she would have me. Or, I did and I didn't. I thought she would, but I didn't believe it would be true. Of course she liked me, but a dominie's daughter, and she's such a nice girl--"
"You felt she was not in your class, is that it?" said David.
"That's it," said Lanny with relief. "You know I tended bar once."
"That was a mistake," said Lanny, "and I'm glad I got sick of it when I did. It's no business for a man in a town like this, or any town, if he wants to be anybody. If you can't be a preacher or a lawyer or a doctor you've got to be in business. I'm going to get into business as soon as I can. I think there's room in this town for a good job office--job printing. A live man ought to make good money. That's what I have in mind--an up-to-date job office--as soon as I can raise the money. I'm doing pretty well now," he added, and he mentioned his wage. "I can support a wife on that."
David nodded. He had had no idea compositors were so well paid. He was constantly being surprised to learn how many men in the trades were receiving more than he himself was paid.