“I must speak to him to-day, however, for your sake, Em.” “Oh, no, no, no! It were must better that you should give me up altogether than bring discord to the last days of one to whom you owe so much!” exclaimed Em. “To give you up, Em., would be to give up my freedom of choice in a matter where the whole happiness of my life and that of my chosen one is concerned! That would be too heavy a price to pay, even for the great benefits I have received at my uncle’s hands. No, Em., I will never, never give you up!” said the young man earnestly. “WHAT!” exclaimed the voice of the commodore. Both the young people started as at a thunder-clap and looked around to see the old man, leaning on his stick, as he advanced slowly into the room. “No one down but two? But, then, you are always down first, and ought to have a medal for punctuality!” he continued as he paused and leaned more heavily upon his stick. Ronald stepped quickly to his side and gave him the support of an arm, while Em. wheeled the big arm-chair to the fire. Both the young people were filled with painful doubts as to whether or not the old commodore had heard the concluding words of Ronald’s impetuous speech. Their countenances were full of confusion, nor were their minds set at rest by the next words of the old man, who, as soon as he had sunk into his seat, turned a rather severe eye upon his nephew and said: “‘My handsome young man,’ I have something very serious to say to you. Come to my room immediately after breakfast; I will meet you there.” “Very well, sir. I will be punctual, the more so because I have an important communication to make to you,” replied Ronald. “Oh, indeed!” exclaimed the old commodore. The entrance of the ladies here put an end to the topic. They greeted the party in the breakfast-room, received the commodore’s rebukes for their tardiness very good-humoredly, and gathered around the table. As the meal progressed Ronald was taken to task for his desertion of the preceding evening. He coldly excused himself by saying that he had been engaged in reading Greek and trying to solve a problem. Miss Belinda hoped that he had succeeded in doing so. Ronald said dryly that he hoped he had. When breakfast was over Em. followed Mrs. Bruce to her sitting-room, where that lady filled her hands with needlework enough to last her all day long and left her alone. Meanwhile Ronald Bruce repaired to his uncle’s study, fully resolved to avow his love for Em. and ask his uncle’s consent to marry her; but he thought that, as in duty bound, he would defer his communication until he should have heard what his uncle had to say to him. When he entered the study he found the old man seated in his big leathern chair by the long study table. There was an empty chair placed exactly opposite to him. “Take this seat before me, that we may look each other in the face as we speak,” said the commodore with an emphatic rap upon the one indicated.