“Dear, dear,” thought the Judge, “how persistent he is! I haven’t given my consent to your engagement as yet,” he answered. “Why do you wish to go to New York?” “I don’t know, sir,” said Arthur, taken by surprise. “At least, it is a larger field--one may get on in the world more rapidly--and I thought, with my engineering training, as agent of a banking-house I should be sooner able to support a wife.” “Do you think Gracie would be happier there than in Boston?” “I don’t know--we had not got to that yet, sir,” said Arthur, cleverly enough. True, they had not; and the Judge smiled a little. “I mean, in case we should consider this most preposterous scheme?” he added. “Do you mean to be a banker all your life?” he asked, suddenly. “Oh, no, sir--at least, that is--I should like----” “Suppose I should ask you to take some practical position on a railroad in the far West?” “I think I should rather be in New York, sir.--But, of course, I should want to follow your advice.” “Would you give up the New York plan entirely, if I asked you to?” “Yes, sir,” said Arthur. “If you gave me Gracie.” The Judge paused. Arthur sat, twirling his light straw hat in his hand, but looking earnestly at his uncle. “Shall I send her here to you, sir?” he said, finally, finding the suspense intolerable. The Judge looked at him gravely, over his spectacles. “On the whole, I think New York will be the best place for you. I will write to Mrs. Livingstone about it to-night. But not a word of this to Gracie, mind. And now, good-night.” Arthur got up; but he hesitated nervously at the door, before turning the handle. “And suppose--suppose she asks me, sir?” “You will tell her I unqualifiedly disapprove of the whole project,” thundered the Judge in his most court-like manner; and Arthur must fain go content with that answer. But he met Gracie in the parlor, and told her that her father would not give his consent as yet; but that he had written to New York, and would find him, Arthur, a place in some banking-house. And so, these two went on to talk of more important matters; or rather, Arthur did; as, how long he had loved her, and how much, and how he had come to speak upon just that day; until Gracie, hearing nothing from her father, feared that he might be ill or worried, and gave Arthur his dismissal, and with more formality than usual. A certain constraint was between these two now, most new and delightful, to Arthur, at least; but quite different from the old cousinly ease.