"I shall speak to him to-night, Iris," Arnold whispered. "I have already written to my cousin. Do not be hurt if she does not call upon you." "Nothing of that sort will hurt me," Iris said, being ignorant of social ways, and without the least ambition to rise in the world. "If your cousin does not call upon me I shall not be disappointed. Why should she want to know me? But I am sorry, Arnold, that she is angry with you." Lala Roy just then found himself in presence of a most beautiful problem--white to move and checkmate in three moves. Mr. Emblem found the meshes of fate closing round him earlier than usual, and both bent their heads closely over the table. "Checkmate!" said Lala Roy. "My friend, you have played badly this evening." "I have played badly," Mr. Emblem replied, "because to-morrow will be an important day for Iris, and for myself. A day, Iris, that I have been looking forward to for eighteen years, ever since I got your father's last letter, written upon his death-bed. It seems a long time, but like a lifetime," said the old man of seventy-five, "it is as nothing when it is gone. Eighteen years, and you were a little thing of three, child!" "What is going to happen to me, grandfather, except that I shall be twenty-one?" "We shall see to-morrow. Patience, my dear--patience." He spread out his hands and laughed. What was going to happen to himself was a small thing compared with the restoration of Iris to her own. "Mr. Emblem," said Arnold, "I also have something of importance to say." "You, too, Mr. Arbuthnot? Cannot yours wait also until to-morrow?" "No; it is too important. It cannot wait an hour." "Well, sir"--Mr. Emblem pushed up his spectacles and leaned back in his chair--"well, Mr. Arbuthnot, let us have it." "I think you may guess what I have to say, Mr. Emblem. I am sure that Lala Roy has already guessed it." The philosopher inclined his head in assent. "It is that I have this afternoon asked Iris to marry me, Mr. Emblem. And she has consented." "Have you consented, Iris, my dear?" said her grandfather. She placed her hand in Arnold's for reply. "Do you think you know him well enough, my dear?" Mr. Emblem asked gravely, looking at her lover. "Marriage is a serious thing: it is a partnership for life. Children, think well before you venture on the happiness or ruin of your whole lives. And you are so young. What a pity--what a thousand pities that people were not ordained to marry at seventy or so!" "We have thought well," said Arnold. "Iris has faith in me." "Then, young man, I have nothing to say. Iris will marry to please herself, and I pray that she may be happy. As for you, I like your face and manners, but I do not know who you are, nor what your means may be. Remember that I am poor--I am so poor--I can tell you all now, that to-morrow we shall--well, patience--to-morrow I shall most likely have my very stock seized and sold."