He stopped for a chat with old Abe . Old Abe approved of Bryan Lee . He was a son-in-law after old Abe 's heart . Meanwhile , Nan had seated herself at the pantry window and was ostentatiously hemming towels in apparent oblivion of suitor No. 2 . Nevertheless , when Bryan came up she greeted him with an unusually sweet smile and at once plunged into an animated conversation . Bryan had not come to ask her to go to the picnic -- business prevented him from going . But he meant to find out if she were going with John Osborne . As Nan was serenely impervious to all hints , he was finally forced to ask her bluntly if she was going to the picnic . Well , yes , she expected to . Oh ! Might he ask with whom ? Nan did n't know that it was a question of public interest at all . `` It is n't with that Osborne fellow , is it ? '' demanded Bryan incautiously . Nan tossed her head . `` Well , why not ? '' she asked . `` Look here , Nan , '' said Lee angrily , `` if you 're going to the picnic with John Osborne I 'm surprised at you . What do you mean by encouraging him so ? He 's as poor as Job 's turkey .
I suppose you 've heard XXXXX I 've been compelled to foreclose the mortgage on his farm . ''
As after at by for if in into that with