He now, as he sat by May's side, had something in his mind which he greatly desired she should hear. But some feeling, unaccountable to himself--or, at least, which he did not choose to account for--made him hesitate to utter it to her directly. At length, in a little pause of the conversation, he bent slightly forward towards Mr. Bragg, who sat opposite to him, and said-- "I suppose you do not propose returning to Spain, Mr. Bragg?" "Me? Oh no. I don't think I've any call to do so. And there's plenty for me to look after elsewhere." "Of course! Transactions on such a colossal scale! When I heard that Rivers was coming back to London, I concluded that you had wound up the business which took you to Spain." "Mr. Rivers has been very helpful to me, indeed. I feel myself under an obligation to him." To say the truth, Mr. Bragg was impelled to offer this testimony--even at the cost of dragging it in somewhat inopportunely--by his lively remembrance of sundry spiteful speeches made by young Bransby in former times; but rather to his surprise, Theodore did not now seek to divert the conversation from Owen's praises. "Yes; Rivers has come out wonderfully well, I understand," said Theodore. "I hear a good deal about him. He is in constant correspondence with Mrs. Bransby; as, perhaps, you know?" "Oh!" said Mr. Bragg quietly. "No; I can't say I know it. By the way, I do call to mind Mrs. Bransby sending me a letter for him some time ago. Well, he may be in correspondence with her." "Oh, he _is_. I have reason to know it, for I think he is the sole topic of conversation at my step-mother's house just now. The whole family are in a fever of excitement about his coming to live with them." Without turning his head, or even glancing at May, he felt that she was listening with a new and suddenly concentrated attention; and he said to himself, with a glow of elation, "_She_ did not know it." "Ah! Really?" said Mr. Bragg, addressing himself to his dinner. The matter did not seem to him one of any very special interest. If young Rivers went to lodge at Mrs. Bransby's, it would probably be a good arrangement for both. "Who's that? Anybody I know?" asked Lady Moppett from her place at the host's right hand. Theodore answered, "I was merely speaking of a man named Rivers, who----" "Owen Rivers? Oh, of course I know him. A dreadful heretic! He enunciates the most intolerable, old-fashioned stuff! And he's so frightfully obstinate; battles, and argues one down, positively! I really have no patience. But what about him? Is he going to be married?" "Not that I know of," replied Theodore, with his correct air, and an odd effect, as though his white cravat and shirt-front had been suddenly petrified. "Oh, I beg your pardon. I thought you said something of the sort."