“There’s the point,” said John; “for thereby hangs the fortune; and it would be a _deuced_ thing to have the girl without the fortune.” “Not so _deuced_ a thing to me as you think,” said Buckhurst, laughing; “for, poor as I am, I can assure you the fortune is not my object--I am not a mercenary dog.” “By-the-bye,” cried John, “now you talk of dogs, I wish to Heaven above, you had not given away that fine puppy of mine to that foolish old man, who never was out a shooting in his days--the dog’s just as much thrown away as if you had drowned him. Now, do you know, if I had had _the making_ of that puppy--” “Puppy!” exclaimed Buckhurst: “is it possible you can be thinking of a puppy, John, when I am talking to you of what is of so much consequence?--when the whole happiness of my life is at stake?” “Stake!--Well, but what can I do more!” said John: “have not I been standing here this half hour with my gun in my hand this fine day, listening to you prosing about I don’t know what?” “That’s the very thing I complain of--that you do not know what: a pretty brother!” said Buckhurst. John made no further reply, but left the room sullenly, whistling as he went. Left to his own cogitations, Buckhurst fell into a reverie upon the charms of Caroline Percy, and upon the probable pleasure of dancing with her at the race-ball; after this, he recurred to the bitter recollection, that he must decide about his debts, and the church. A bright idea came into his mind, that he might have recourse to Mr. Percy, and, perhaps, prevail upon him to persuade his father not to force him to a step which he could not reconcile either to his conscience or his inclination.--No sooner thought than done.--He called for his horse and rode as hard as he could to Percy-hall.--When a boy he had been intimate in the Percy family; but he had been long absent at school and at the university; they had seen him only during the vacations, and since his late return to the country. Though Mr. Percy could not entirely approve of his character, yet he thought there were many good points about Buckhurst; the frankness and candour with which he now laid his whole mind and all his affairs open to him--debts--love--fears--hopes--follies--faults--without reserve or extenuation, interested Mr. Percy in his favour.--Pitying his distress, and admiring the motives from which he acted, Mr. Percy said, that though he had no right to interfere in Mr. Falconer’s family affairs, yet that he could, and would, so far assist Buckhurst, as to lend him the money for which he was immediately pressed, that he might not be driven by necessity to go into that profession, which ought to be embraced only from the highest and purest motives. Buckhurst thanked him with transports of gratitude for this generous kindness, which was far beyond his expectations, and which, indeed, had never entered into his hopes. Mr. Percy seized the moment when the young man’s mind was warmed