But what a prospect--master of Darrell Court and twenty thousand per annum! He would endure almost any humiliation to obtain that position. "She must have me," he said to himself--"she shall have me! I will force her to be my wife!" Why, if he could but announce his engagement to Miss Darrell, he could borrow as much money as would clear off all his liabilities! And how much he needed money no one knew better than himself. He had paid this visit to the Court because there were two writs out against him in London, and, unless he could come to some settlement of them, he knew what awaited him. And all--fortune, happiness, wealth, freedom, prosperity--depended on one word from the proud lips that had hardly ever spoken kindly to him. He loved her, too--loved her with a fierce, desperate love that at times frightened himself. "I should like you," said Sir Oswald, at the conclusion of their interview, "to have the matter settled as soon as you can; because, I tell you, frankly, if my niece does not consent to marry you, I shall marry myself. All my friends are eagerly solicitous for me to do so; they do not like the prospect of seeing a grand old inheritance like this fall into the hands of a willful, capricious girl. But I tell you in confidence, Aubrey, I do not wish to marry. I am a confirmed old bachelor now, and it would be a sad trouble to me to have my life changed by marriage. Still I would rather marry than that harm should come to Darrell Court." "Certainly," agreed the captain. "I do not mind telling you still further that I have seen a lady whom, if I marry at all, I should like to make my wife--in fact, she resembles some one I used to know long years ago. I have every reason to believe she is much admired and sought after; so that I want you to settle your affairs as speedily as possible. Mind, Aubrey, they must be settled--there must be no deferring, no putting off; you must have an answer--yes or no--very shortly; and you must not lose an hour in communicating that answer to me." "I hope it will be a favorable one," said Aubrey Langton; but his mind misgave him. He had an idea that the girl had found him wanting; he could not forget her first frank declaration that she did not like him. "If she refuses me, have I your permission to tell Miss Darrell the alternative?" he asked of Sir Oswald. The baronet thought deeply for some minutes, and then said: "Yes; it is only fair and just that she should know it--that she should learn that if she refuses you she loses all chance of being my heiress. But do not say anything of the lady I have mentioned." The visitors were coming on Tuesday, and Thursday was the day settled for the ball. "All girls like balls," thought Captain Langton. "Pauline is sure to be in a good temper then, and I will ask her on Thursday night." But he owned to himself that he would rather a thousand times have faced a whole battalion of enemies than ask Pauline Darrell to be his wife. CHAPTER XVI.