"Well, my dear child, I will not say any more about it; we will change the subject. What do you think? The last night Claude was with me, I told him that it was my intention to leave my estate, with some few reservations, to you. Well--but don't cry at that, my child: I never heard that any man died the sooner for making his will. But Claude decidedly opposed my intention; he said, his own fortune was so ample as to make so large an addition to it quite unnecessary; that he disapproved the plan of heaping up those immense properties; that my estate would be the means of making some other relative easy in his circumstances; and that he thought he was speaking your sentiments as well as his own, when he resolutely declined my offer." "Quite. He understands me," whispered Margaret through her tears. "So then, Margaret, if he stands the test of time, you may be very happy together," said Mr. Grey. "If!--oh, uncle! I have not a doubt." "Do not have," said Mr. Grey. "Trust always, my child; but here comes the urn, and Casement too, I declare." "Hollo! little woman, where's Master Claude?" was Mr. Casement's first salutation, after he had carefully peeped on each side of the urn, as if in search of the missing gentleman. "Gone, Sir; several days ago," said Margaret, pursuing her occupation. "Gone, eh? And where?" "I don't know, Sir." "Not in his confidence then, it seems." "Think of that, Mr. Casement," said Margaret, looking up with an arch laugh. "How was it?" asked Mr. Casement, dragging his chair as close to hers as possible, "tell me all about it. Did Master Grey cut up rough?" Margaret looked puzzled, for she did not understand the phrase employed; but she turned to her uncle. "Did you, Uncle Grey?" she said. "He does not know what he is talking about, my dear," said Mr. Grey. "Don't I?" said Mr. Casement. "You thought, little woman, that I did not know any of your proceedings with Master Hubert." "I did not think about it, Sir," said Margaret, turning away. "I suppose Elizabeth Gage has quite cut you now?" pursued Mr. Casement. "No, she has not, Sir; for I dine at Chirke Weston to-morrow." "Then give my love to her," said Mr. Casement; "and tell her that I have held her engaged to me for the last ten years. I don't know when I shall claim her, but it is as well to remind her occasionally." When she arrived at Captain Gage's next day, Elizabeth was alone in the drawing-room, dressed with her usual costly simplicity. She was seated reading in an arm-chair by the open window, and Margaret could not help being newly struck with the grand and statuesque style of her beauty. From her height, the calm regularity of her features, the plain arrangement of her abundant hair, and the dignity of her attitude, she might have served as a model for Minerva. Elizabeth's welcome was as warm as ever.