"Pray, sir," asked Juvenal, forcing an appearance of calmness most foreign to his real state, "may I ask the motive of this intrusion?" "One," answered the other, "which I think scarcely merits so harsh a term, Mr. Formby. I came to save you the trouble of answering a letter I sent, presuming that, as a gentleman, you purpose doing so, even though probably time has not permitted you to accomplish that intention yet." Tremenhere's indignation overcame his prudence, when he found himself in the presence of Minnie's persecutor. "Do you come here to insult me, sir?" asked Juvenal, amazed at this tone and manner. "Pardon me, Mr. Formby; no. I was led away by an excusable surprise at your want of courtesy towards one, with whom you were once on terms, at all events, of harmony; one, myself, who has never, by any act, forfeited his right to your good opinion." Juvenal was dreadfully embarrassed. He did not like summoning an attendant to listen to perhaps a few unpleasant truths against himself; he felt Tremenhere's cause was the just one. "Pray, sir," he said at last, "what do you call your unjustifiable pursuit of my niece, Miss Dalzell?" "That is a recent crime in your eyes. I was alluding to a prejudice against _poor_ Miles Tremenhere, who, as master of the manor-house, was permitted to style himself your acquaintance at least; but it is not of wrongs--of _past_ wrongs--I come to speak. I come, Mr. Formby, to you, as Miss Dalzell's uncle and guardian, seeking an answer to my solicited permission to address her as a suitor." "Your audacity surpasses all I ever heard of," cried Juvenal, bounding from his chair, into which he had dropped. "It more than surpasses all I have been told you were capable of." "By my worthy cousin, but you are wrong. I come in no insolence of tone or manner, however your dislike may so construe them; but as gentleman to gentleman--suitor, _accepted_ suitor by the lady, to solicit her hand from her guardian." He stood calm and dignified as he spoke; he had evidently set himself a task in this visit--one to go through, before more decided steps, but with little hope of success. "My answer," said Juvenal, decidedly, though his tone was querulous and weak, "is--that nothing shall ever induce me to consent to Miss Dalzell's marriage with yourself!" "May I ask your reasons?" "I do not consider myself obliged to give any; one, however, I will accord you--the lady is engaged." "Of that I am fully aware--irrevocably engaged." "If you mean to yourself," cried Juvenal, his anger mastering his fear, "I tell you, I defy you--I forbid it. She shall never marry a nameless, unprincipled man like yourself--one who could attack my friend, Marmaduke Burton, in the ruffianly manner you have done." "Hush!" said the other, advancing with a soft, calm step; "not a breath even against the dead. You term me a nameless man; that will be proved incorrect some day soon, I hope."