should marry a young lady with whom I had but a slight acquaintance, but who, as it chances, is the owner of the mortgages on this estate.” “It was most indiscreet of Ellen to put the matter like that,” said Lady Graves. “Ellen is frequently indiscreet, mother; but doubtless it never occurred to her that I should object to doing what she is so ready to do for herself—marry for money. I am glad you see, however, that her method was not exactly calculated to prepossess any man in favour of a marriage, of which he did not happen to have thought for himself. Still the young lady came, and I liked her exceedingly; I liked her more than any woman that I had met before, the one inexplicable thing about her to my mind—being why on earth she should wish to marry me, as I understand is, or was, the case.” “You foolish boy!” said Lady Graves, smiling a little; “do you not understand that she had become fond of you during that week when you were here together the year before last?” “I can’t say that I understand it, mother, for I had not much to do with her. But even if it is so, it does not satisfactorily explain why her father should be equally anxious for this match. Of course I know that he has given lots of reasons, but I cannot help thinking that there is something behind them all. However, that is neither here nor there.” “I fancy, Henry, that the only thing behind Mr. Levinger’s reasons is an earnest desire for the happiness of a daughter to whom he is much attached.” “Well, mother, as I was saying, I took a great fancy to the girl, and though I did not at all like the idea of making advances to a lady to whom we are under such obligations, I determined to put my pride in my pocket, and, if I still continued to admire her after further acquaintance, to ask her if she would allow me to share her fortune, for I think that is an accurate way of putting it. So I went off to stay at Monk’s Lodge, and the chapter of troubles began. The girl who indirectly was the cause of my accident became my nurse, and it seems that she grew attached to me, and—I grew attached to her. It was not wonderful: you know her; she is very beautiful, she has a good heart, and in most ways she is a lady. In short, she is a woman who in any less prejudiced country would certainly be received into society if she had the means to enter it. Well, so things went on without anything remarkable happening, until recently.” And he repeated to her fairly and fully all that had passed between himself and Joan.