"Good gracious, doctor! What can have happened?" she exclaimed, observing a look of unwonted gravity in my face. "Oh, nothing, nothing," I said; "at least, nothing of any great importance. Hear me. I am a physician of a certain age and in very good practice." I paused. "Well, Dr. Crow," said the aunt. "And I am still a bachelor," I continued. "Well, sir," said she, wriggling about in her seat and looking coy, as if she guessed I meditated a proposal, and took the compliment to herself. "Well, madam," said I, impatient to get through this painful duty, "to cut a long story short, I am in love with your charming niece." "_Oh!_ doctor," she exclaimed. The "_Oh!_" was jerked out with a spasm truly painful, and her countenance fell visibly. "I dare say you were not prepared for such a surprise, but I have known Miss Sykes now a long time, and I never saw anyone who could suit me better as a wife. Miss Sykes and I have talked the matter over together, and she only awaits her aunt's consent. Thank you, thank you, madam," said I seizing her hand, "I knew you would give it," before giving her an opportunity either to consent or refuse. "Molly!" I cried, "come and thank your kind aunt for having given her consent to our happy union." Molly entered, blushing and giggling. "Come, Molly," said I, "come and thank aunt, for now we shall be as happy as two birds in a nest. I'll go and see about the licence, and we'll get married as soon as ever we can." I laughed and appeared very merry, repeatedly seizing the aunt by the hand and patting her on the shoulder before she had time to get a word out. "Stay, sir," said she, at length, "I can do nothing without the consent of my niece's father." "Oh, that will be easily obtained, I am quite sure," said I, hopefully. "We will at once write a note, and all will be settled." I brought her her desk, opened it, took out pen, ink, and paper, and placing a chair for her, induced her to write. "Yes," I said, looking over her shoulder as she wrote, "that will do--not _too_ cold. Say I am in a position to make his daughter comfortable, and that you think it is a very desirable match--yes, that's the sort of thing. Give it to me, I'll take it to the post." So saying, I snatched up the epistle, bounded from the house, and returned shortly, as happy as if everything were already settled. In due time came a reply from old Sykes, to the purport that, though he would have chosen a younger man for his daughter, yet on the whole, considering that I had a pretty good business as a doctor, and could keep her well, he saw no reason why he should withhold his consent. Furthermore, he begged the aunt that if his daughter were to be married to hasten the marriage as much as possible, as young Rashly had been missing for some time, and folks said that he was down at H---- after her. "Bravo! old Sykes," said I to myself, "Fortune seems to favour me indeed."