The cloth had been removed, and the wine and dessert of summer fruit placed on the table in the style of olden times, before Mr. Armstrong ventured to refer to the subject which had so raised his spirits. "I had a visitor in Dover Street to-day, Maria," he said, addressing his wife, "and I have asked him to dine with us to-morrow." "Uncle Herbert, papa?" said Mary. "No, my dear, but a friend of his who inquired very kindly after you." "After me, papa? Who can it be? a lady or a gentleman?" "Is there any gentleman friend of your uncle's who you think would be likely to inquire after you?" "Well, papa, yes; several I met at Park Lane would ask for me, I daresay." Then suddenly she added, "Oh, perhaps it was Captain Fraser; he told me he should pay you a visit some day." "Why did you not mention, this, Mary?" "I forgot it, papa, till your remark reminded me of it. I never cared to remember Captain Fraser's sayings." "You are not kind then, Mary, for he speaks of you in the highest terms. He has not forgotten you, most certainly." "I am very sorry, papa," she replied, "but I cannot appreciate his praise as it deserves; he is so very effeminate and weak-minded, that had he not been the guest of uncle and aunt Herbert I should scarcely have been even civil to him." There was a bitterness in Mary's manner and speech, occasioned by the discovery of the afternoon; for while her father spoke she could not help comparing the two young men, with very great loss to the subject of their present conversation. All at once to Mary's memory arose the teachings of her dear grandfather. "I have no right to despise this young captain," she said to herself; "it is not his fault that he is so inferior to others in intellect;" and she was just about to speak kindly of his temper and disposition, when her father said, in a tone that startled her-- "You will have to be more than civil to Captain Fraser to-morrow, Mary, for he has asked me for the hand of my daughter, and I expect you to accept him." "Father! What do you mean?" The tone of voice, the calm yet determined utterance, startled Mr. Armstrong, yet he said firmly-- "I mean what I say, Mary. Here is a man connected with some of the highest of England's aristocracy, and in addition to personal advantages he possesses a noble estate and a rent-roll of 12,000_l._ a year. He comes forward honourably, and offers to marry my daughter, and make her mistress of all these honours and possessions, and she asks me what I mean!" Mary did not reply, but with a will unbending as her father's she resolved that nothing should induce her to marry Reginald Fraser. "Why do you not speak, Mary?" said her father at last, in a tone of voice that Mrs. Armstrong knew betokened an outburst of passion. "Do not oblige Mary to decide to-night, Edward," said the gentle voice of his wife; "give her a few hours to think over the advantages of such a marriage, and----"