"But is there nobody else, no young man of good character and family, available?" "What do you know against the character of the man yonder?" "Nothing," said Leland tersely. "Nothing at all, except that he carries it about with him. You can see it in his face. If I had a sister, I should feel tempted to kick a man of that kind for looking at her." Mrs. Annersly smiled as she answered his previous question. "Young men of the kind you mention, with any means, are not to be met with every day. What's more, they also naturally prefer a girl with money, and, at least, there would in their case be a tying up of property in the settlements. The happy man does not, as a rule, consider it necessary to contribute anything to the bride's family." Leland turned sharply, and looked at her with a portentous sparkle in his eyes. "Isn't it a horribly unpleasant thing you are suggesting?" "That is, after all, largely a matter of opinion." Leland sat still a moment watching the two figures on the lawn with a curious blending of compassion and disgust. Then he rose and looked down on his companion. "Madam," he said, "I wonder if I might ask you why you thought fit to tell me this?" "One should never ask for a woman's reasons, and I think I have informed you already that my tongue is dipped in wormwood." Leland made a little impatient gesture. "Is it Aylmer's money alone that counts with them, or his station, if he has any?" "One would certainly imagine that it was his means." Leland left her presently. As she watched him stride along the terrace, her shrewd, faded face grew gentle. "If I have read that man aright, there may be results," she said. "In that case, I almost fancy Carrie will have much to thank me for." Then she rose and, crossing the quadrangle, sought the card-room. It was an hour later when she came upon Carrie Denham sitting alone. "I have been talking to Mr. Leland, and am rather pleased with him," she said to the girl. "He is a curious compound of simplicity and forcefulness. They must live like anchorites out there." Carrie Denham laughed. "I thought that type was distinctly out of date now. It probably has its disadvantages." "Still," said Mrs. Annersly with an air of reflection, "he would scarcely jar as much on one's self-respect as the people one would meet as the wife of the other sort of man." CHAPTER III PRESSURE OF CIRCUMSTANCES The early breakfast over, Leland was walking up and down beneath the red beeches that grew close up to the old arched gateway of Barrock-holme, one of his fellow guests beside him, and a gun under his arm. Looking in through the quadrangle, they saw a young groom holding with some difficulty a restive, champing horse that pawed the gravel and shook his head impatiently. "He doesn't like waiting either," said Leland's companion to the groom. "How long have you been holding him here?" "About half an hour, Mr. Terry," said the groom.