He held up his glass of wine to the light, and even in the midst of her uneasiness Miss Esperance noted with pleasure how steady was the long, slender hand that held the glass. "I have heard," Miss Esperance began with a deep sigh, "some most distressing news to-day about certain good friends of yours." "Is Mrs. Gloag worse?" Mr. Wycherly asked anxiously, for the minister’s wife was very delicate, and was often quite seriously ill. "No, no, nobody is ill; but I fear that our good friend, Lady Alicia, is in very great trouble. Margaret——" "Has married against her mother’s wish?" Mr. Wycherly interrupted quickly. "That’s just what she has done—but how did you guess?" "And she has married," Mr. Wycherly continued, "a nephew of mine. If I mistake not, Margaret was twenty-one only the other day." "It seems," Miss Esperance went on, much astonished at the calmness with which Mr. Wycherly received these grievous tidings, "that this young man proposed to Margaret some time ago; but that Lady Alicia wouldn’t hear of any engagement. He asked for Margaret again this summer, and was again refused: though Margaret told her mother that she intended to marry him and considered herself engaged to him in spite of everything. And, as you say, directly she came of age she has done it." Mr. Wycherly had laid down his glass of port untasted, when Miss Esperance first began to speak. Now he lifted the decanter and poured out another, offering it to Miss Esperance. "My dear friend," he exclaimed eagerly, "they are married. Nothing can alter that. Let us drink pretty Margaret’s health, and wish her all prosperity and happiness, and may the man she has chosen try to be worthy of her!" Miss Esperance demurred: but Mr. Wycherly continued to lean across the table with the glass of wine held out toward her, and he looked so pleading, and she so loved to gratify him, that at last, though a little under protest, she consented to drink this toast, and took one sip from the proffered glass of port. "I wish I could feel that it will turn out well," she said wistfully. "She must love him right well," Mr. Wycherly said thoughtfully, "and she is not a foolish girl. She has judgment and discretion." "Where love is concerned," said Miss Esperance, "judgment and discretion generally go to the wall." And Mr. Wycherly could find no arguments in disproof of this statement. Lady Alicia made a special journey to Remote for the express purpose of reproaching Mr. Wycherly with the conduct of a nephew he had never seen.