"I shouldn't be surprised if you were married quite as soon as you arranged to be," Mrs. Reade proceeded calmly, building this comfortable theory upon the conviction that Mr. Dalrymple, in spite of his persistence in calling at Toorak, was not the kind of man to remain faithful to a ball-room fancy, nor to undertake anything so expensive and so respectable as matrimony under the most favourable conjunction of circumstances; and feeling sure that Rachel, with her clinging, impulsive nature, finding her desires frustrated in this direction, would be under an imperious necessity to seek--or, at any rate, to accept--support elsewhere. "If I had her with me for six weeks, I think I would not mind risking a small bet----" "_Can't_ you have her with you?" Mr. Kingston interposed eagerly. "No, I fear not. My mother would not consent to let her go from home just now. The situation is too grave. But even as things are, if you manage the child properly, I don't at all despair of seeing you married--or, at any rate, engaged again--before the year is out. Very far from it." "I would give a thousand pounds at this moment if I could be certain that that would be," sighed Mr. Kingston, plaintively. "Only you must do what I tell you. I assure you, if you _want_ to succeed, that is your best, if not your only chance. Will you do what I tell you?" "I will see Rachel first." "Of course. See her and give her plainly to understand what a pain and disappointment it is to you to give her up, and that you only do it for her sake. Perhaps, if you talk it over with her, she will cancel her letter, and it will be all right at once; in which case you had better arrange for your marriage as quickly as possible. But if it should be otherwise--if she should still press for a dissolution of her engagement--let her go for a little while. It need not be for long." "I think I will," said Mr. Kingston, thoughtfully. And he did. CHAPTER XI. UNTIL CHRISTMAS. Mrs. Reade was accustomed not only to give advice and to see it taken, but to see the wisdom of it justified in the success of its practical application. Nevertheless, she was more surprised than Mr. Kingston himself at the great and good results which apparently followed her interference in his affairs. Matters were a little critical for a week or two. Of course he "saw" Rachel, and attacked the position which she had taken up with all the forces at his command. He was, in his Mentor's judgment, indiscreetly zealous and persevering; and the almost fierce obstinacy of Rachel's resistance, which neither science nor brute force could overcome, being an altogether anomalous demonstration of character, was even more portentous. But when presently Mr. Kingston, in a dignified and graceful letter, accepted his defeat, while at the same time clearly intimating that the withdrawal of his former pretensions in no way indicated any change in his affections and fidelity, then everything seemed to go well.