"Nobody will be so good as I will be,--if you will take me. Tell me, Polly, do you not believe me when I say I love you?" "No;--I don't." "Why should I be false to you?" "Ah;--well;--why? It's not for me to say why. Father's been putting you up to this. That's why." "Your father could put me up to nothing of the kind if it were not that I really loved you." "And there's another thing, Mr. Newton." "What's that, Polly?" "I'm not at all sure that I'm so very fond of you." "That's unkind." "Better be true than to rue," said Polly. "Why, Mr. Newton, we don't know anything about each other,--not as yet. I may be, oh, anything bad, for what you know. And for anything I know you may be idle, and extravagant, and a regular man flirt." Polly had a way of speaking the truth without much respect to persons. "And then, Mr. Newton, I'm not going to be given away by father just as he pleases. Father thinks this and that, and he means it all for the best. I love father dearly. But I don't mean to take any body as I don't feel I'd pretty nigh break my heart if I wasn't to have him. I ain't come to breaking my heart for you yet, Mr. Newton." "I hope you never will break your heart." "I don't suppose you understand, but that's how it is. Let it just stand by for a year or so, Mr. Newton, and see how it is then. Maybe we might get to know each other. Just now, marrying you would be like taking a husband out of a lottery." Ralph stood looking at her, passing his hand over his head, and not quite knowing how to carry on his suit. "I'll tell father what you was saying to me and what I said to you," continued Polly, who seemed quite to understand that Ralph had done his duty by his creditor in making the offer, and that justice to him demanded that this should be acknowledged by the whole family. "And is that to be all, Polly?" asked Ralph in a melancholy voice. "All at present, Mr. Newton." Ralph, as he returned to London in his cab, felt more hurt by the girl's refusal of him than he would before have thought to be possible. He was almost disposed to resolve that he would at once renew the siege and carry it on as though there were no question of twenty thousand pounds, and of money borrowed from the breeches-maker. Polly had shown so much spirit in the interview, and had looked so well in showing it, had stood up such a perfect specimen of healthy, comely, honest womanhood, that he thought that he did love her. There was, however, one comfort clearly left to him. He had done his duty by old Neefit. The money due must of course be paid;--but he had in good faith done that which he had pledged himself to do in taking the money. As to the surrender of the estate there were still left to him four days in which to think of it. CHAPTER XX. THE CONSERVATIVES OF PERCYCROSS.