"Oh, he won't hurt," she answered, stroking my hair caressingly; "he's been here ever since afternoon tea." "The deuce he has!" I exclaimed, setting down my glass, and looking up at her surprised. "What does he want? A subscription?" "N--no. I don't think so, Hughie." Something of the truth commenced to dawn upon me, and, sitting back in my chair, I caught Marian by the arms, and looked into her face. "Marian, you don't mean to say that the fellow's been making love to you!" She was blushing all over her delicate little face, and she held up her hands as though to hide it from me. "I--I'm afraid he has, Hughie, and--and----" "And what?" "And I've been letting him." "Oh, indeed!" I exclaimed, feebly. It wasn't a very impressive thing to say, but I was bewildered. Suddenly she threw herself into my arms and hid her face on my shoulder. "Oh, Hugh, you won't be angry, will you? say that you won't! He is so nice, and I'm so happy." I don't know how most men would have felt in my position, but I must confess that my first impulse was to go and punch Mr. Holdern's head. But when I began to think the matter over a little it occurred to me that this was scarcely the proper course to pursue--at any rate, it was not the usual one. The more I thought of it the more natural it seemed to me. I remembered now how often I had found Mr. Holdern sitting at afternoon tea with Marian when I had come home about that time, and what an interest she had been taking in parish matters lately. As far as the man himself was concerned there was nothing against him; in fact, I rather liked him. But to give him--a stranger--Marian, my little sister, who had only just begun to keep house for me, the idea was certainly not a pleasant one, and yet if she wished it, how could I refuse her? "You're too young, you know, for anything of this sort, Marian," I began, with an attempt at severity, which I'm sure she saw through. "I'm eighteen," came a piteous voice from the vicinity of my waistcoat. "Lots of girls are engaged before they're eighteen." This was unanswerable. I tried another line. "And you want to leave me, then, Marian, already?" I said, with a plaintiveness that was not all affected. The arms that were round my neck tightened their grasp, and a tear-stained, dishevelled face was lifted piteously to mine. "I don't, Hugh! You know I don't. We only want to be engaged. We don't want to be married." "Well, I suppose it's all right," I said, with a sigh. "Look here, Marian, you run along in to Mr. Holdern, and leave me to think about it while I finish my dinner." She unclasped her arms and looked at me radiantly. "Dear old Hugh! I knew you'd say yes."