"The twentieth of June! that is four months away. I did not want her to put it off as far as that. However, women, even the most sensible, have such an idea of the time it takes to get a trousseau. The twentieth of June! You can make it sooner, can't you?" "Four months is not such a long time, sir. We have a house to get, and furniture to buy. Four months will be necessary to make these arrangements." "No, they won't; for you have no such arrangements to make. You are to come and live here when you marry. This will be your house when you marry, and I shall be your guest. I can give you Charlotte Hinton; but I cannot do without her myself." "But this house means a very, very large income, Mr. Harman. Is it prudent that we should begin like this? For my part I should much rather do on less." "You may sell the house if you fancy, and take a smaller one; or go more into the country. I only make one proviso--that while I live, I live with my only daughter." "And with your son, too, Mr. Harman," said Hinton, just letting his hand touch for an instant the wrinkled hand which lay on Mr. Harman's knee. The old man smiled one of those queer, sad smiles which Hinton had often in vain tried to fathom. Responding to the touch of the vigorous young hand, he said-- "I have always liked you, Hinton. I believe, in giving you my dear child, I give her to one who will make her happy." "Happy! yes, I shall certainly try to make her happy," answered Hinton, with a sparkle in his eyes. "And that is the main thing; better than wealth, or position, or anything else on God's earth. Happiness comes with goodness, you know, my dear fellow; no bad man was ever happy. If you and Charlotte get this precious thing into your lives you must both be good. Don't let the evil touch you ever so slightly. If you do, happiness flies." "I quite believe you," answered Hinton. "Well, about money matters. I am, as you know, very rich. I shall settle plenty of means upon my daughter; but it will be better for you to enter into all these matters with my solicitor. When can you meet him?" "Whenever convenient to you and to him, sir." "I will arrange it for you, and let you know." "Mr. Harman, may I say a word for myself?" suddenly asked the young man. "Most certainly. Have I been so garrulous as to keep you from speaking?" "Not at all, sir; you have been more than generous. You have been showing me the rose-color from your point of view. Now it is not all rose-color." "I was coming to that; it is by no means all rose-color. Well, say your say first." "You are a very rich man, and you are giving me your daughter; so endowing her, that any man in the world would say I had drawn a prize in money, if in nothing else." Mr. Harman smiled. "I fear you must bear that," he said. "I do not see that you can support Charlotte without some assistance from me."