"I am glad to hear it; it sounds encouraging," returned the aunt. "Tell me, have you ever done anything to support yourself?" "Rather! As a younger son, I should have had a very poor chance if I'd not." "How many towers have you got?" was her next question. "I don't know," said Scarsdale, laughing at her very literal interpretation of the name of his estate. "Have they fire-escapes?" "I'm afraid not," he replied, "but you must come and see for yourself. My mother will be happy to welcome you." "No, I guess not; I'm too old to start climbing." "Oh, you wouldn't have to live in them," he hastened to assure her; "there are other parts to the house, and my mother----" "That's her ladyship?" "Yes." "You are sure you haven't any title?" asked Aunt Eliza suspiciously. "No, nor any chance of having one." "Well, I do feel relieved," she commented. "The Psalms say not to put your trust in princes, but I guess if King David had ever been through a London season he wouldn't have drawn the line there; and what's good enough for him is good enough for me." "I think you can trust me, Aunt Eliza." "I hope so, though I never expected to see a niece of mine married to a man of war." "Not a man of war," he corrected, "only a man in the War Office--a very different thing, I assure you." "I am rejoiced to hear it," she replied. "Now run along to Mabel, and I'll write your mother and tell her that I guess you'll do." Which she straightway did, and that letter is still preserved as one of the literary curiosities of "The Towers," Sussex. The first meeting of Aunt Eliza and Lady Scarsdale took place the day before the wedding. It was pleasant, short, and to the point, and at its conclusion each parted from the other with mingled feelings of wonder and respect. Indeed, no one could fail to respect Miss Cogbill. Alone and unaided she had amassed and managed a great fortune. She was shrewd and keen beyond the nature of women, and seldom minced matters in her speech; but nevertheless she was possessed of much native refinement and prim, old-time courtesy that did not always seem in accordance with the business side of her nature. As time went on she became reconciled to Scarsdale, but his lack of appreciation of business was a thorn in her flesh, and, indeed, her inclinations had led her in quite another direction. "Now look at that young Carrington who comes to see you once in a while; if you had to marry an Englishman, why didn't you take him?" she said once to her niece. "Why, Aunt Eliza," replied that young lady, "what are you thinking of? According to your own standards, he is much less desirable than Harold, for he has not a cent." "He'd make money fast enough if his training didn't get in his way," she retorted, "which is more than can be said of your future husband."