“There are certain reasons for which I cannot decline it, Charley,” said the other, mildly. “All my life long I have been Tom Leslie's debtor, in gratitude, for as noble a sacrifice as ever man made. We were both suitors to your mother, brother officers at the time, and well received in her father's house. Leslie, however, was much better looked on than myself, for I was then but a second son, while he was the heir of a very large estate. There could not have been a doubt that his advances would have outweighed mine in a father and mother's estimate, and as he was madly in love, there seemed-nothing to prevent his success. Finding, however, in a conversation with your mother, that her affections were mine, he not only relinquished the place in my favor, but, although most eager to purchase his troop, suffered me, his junior, to pass over his head, and thus attain the rank which enabled me to marry. Leslie went to India, where he married, and we never met again. It was only some seven or eight months ago I read of his being named governor of a Mediterranean dependency, and the very next paper mentioned his death, when about to leave Calcutta.” “It is, then, most probable that, when making this will, he had never heard of our reverses in fortune?” said the young man. “It is almost certain he had not, for it is dated the very year of that panic which ruined me.” “And, just as likely, might never have left such a will, had he known our altered fortunes?” “I 'm not so sure of that. At all events, I can answer for it that no change in our condition would have made Tom Leslie alter the will, if he had once made it in our favor.” “I have no fancy for the compact, read it how you may,” said Charles, impatiently; “nor can I say which I like least,--the notion of marrying a woman who is bound to accept me, or accepting a forfeit to release her from the obligation.” “I own it is--embarrassing,” said Sir William, after a moment's hesitation in choosing a suitable word. “A downright indignity, I'd call it,” said the other, warmly, “and calculated to make the man odious in the woman's eyes, whichever lot befell him.” “The wardship must be accepted, at all events,” said Sir William, curtly, as he arose and folded up the letter. “You are the best judge of that; for if it depended upon _me_” “Come, come, Charley,” said Sir William, in his tone of habitual kindness, “this life of quiet obscurity and poverty that we lead here has no terrors for _me_. I have been so long away from England that if I went back to-morrow I should look in vain for any of my old companions. I have forgotten the habits and the ways of home, and I have learned to submit myself to twenty things here which would be hardships elsewhere, but I don't like to contemplate the same sort of existence for _you_; I want to speculate on a very different future; and if--if--Nay, you need not feel so impatient at a mere conjecture.”