"Very easily indeed," laughed Oswald. "But there'll be the paying for it." "It won't take so much. We shall not set up in a grand way. We can pay by instalments." "A bad beginning, Mark." Mark rather winced. "Are you going to turn against me, Oswald? To throw cold water on it?" Oswald Cray looked very grave as he answered. Mark was not his own brother, and he could not urge him too much; but a conviction seated itself in his heart, perhaps not for the first time, that Mark had inherited their father's imprudence. "These considerations are for you, Mark; not for me. If I speak of them to you, I do so only in your true interest. We have never been brothers, therefore I do not presume to give a brother's counsel,--you would deem I had no right to do it. Only be prudent, for your own sake and Caroline's. Good evening, if you will go back." Neal admitted Mr. Oswald Cray, and Neal's face lighted up with the most apparent genuine pleasure at doing it. Neal was the quintessence of courteous respect to his betters, but an additional respect would show itself in his manner to Mr. Oswald Cray, from the fact possibly that he had served in the Oswald family at Thorndyke, and Mr. Oswald Cray was so near a connection of it. Dr. Davenal was then in the garden-parlour with Sara. The noisy boys were regaling themselves with good things in the dining-room, under the presidentship of Miss Bettina. A few moments, and the doctor and Mr. Oswald Cray were deep in the discussion of the proposition that had so moved them; the doctor being the first to speak of it. Sara sat near the window, doing some light work. A fair picture she looked, in her evening dress; her cheeks somewhat flushed, her neck so fair and white, the gold chain lying on it; her pretty arms partially hidden by their white lace. Dr. Davenal stood in a musing attitude on the other side of the window, and Mr. Oswald Cray sat between them, a little back, his elbow on the centre table, his chin on his hand. "Mark has just told me of it," he observed, in reply to Dr. Davenal. "I met him as I walked here. I was very much surprised." "Not more surprised than I," returned the doctor. "At least, surprised that he should have spoken to you so soon." "What do you think of it?" asked the doctor, abruptly. "Nay, sir, it is for you to think," was the reply of Oswald Cray, after a momentary pause. "I know--in that sense. My opinion is, that it is exceedingly premature." "Well--yes, I confess it appears so to me. I told Mark so. There's one thing, Dr. Davenal--some men get on all the better for marrying early."