This fling at his cowardice stung Herbert to the quick, making him redouble his arguments why she should reconsider. It was of no use. Louie was resolved, and when at last he left the house, the ring was in his pocket, and there was an ache in his heart such as he had never known before, and the world looked very dark. When he reached home he found his father up and evidently waiting for him. “Where have you been?” he asked. “Not to see the Grey girl again on such a night as this?” “Yes, I have been to see the Grey girl,” Herbert answered, doggedly, and in a moment his father grew angry. “Haven’t I told you to quit it?” he asked. There was a moment’s silence, a shutting of his teeth together, and then Herbert began: “I have quit it, or she has. She has thrown me over—given me my congé. I hope you are satisfied.” “Given you what? Thrown you over? Grey’s girl thrown you over? Given you the mitten? What do you mean?” the judge exclaimed. All Herbert’s fear of his father was gone—how or why, he did not know, but it was gone, and his voice was very distinct and steady as he told the story of his engagement from beginning to end, omitting nothing, while his father listened with his jaw dropped and every possible expression upon his face. Herbert expected a storm and was prepared for it, and there was one, but not for him, although he was called a “fool” several times, and told that he was well out of the Grey girl’s meshes; then the storm burst on her head. “The hussy! the upstart! Who does she think she is to throw you over?” the judge began. “She’s like her father, who, I’ve no doubt, thinks this minute he is better than I am. He always did think so; never paid me his rent without making me feel that he was the landlord and I the tenant, even when he lived in White’s Row. That’s his cut. No doubt his chin is in the air now. The gambler! the cheat! And his daughter refused my son! She, that Grey girl! The trollop! Does she know what she is doing when she refused you? I wouldn’t have believed it. The minx!” “Stop, father!” Herbert said. “I’ll not hear a word against Louie. She was to have been my wife, and my heart aches for her now.” “Let it ache a spell! Do you good! You’ll get over it, and be glad; for, by the Lord Harry, as I’ve told you, if you had stuck to her, I’d ‘a’ cut you. Yes, I’d ‘a’ cut you! But she—well she’s plucky. Refused you! My son! It beats me! Yes, it does. Going to pay the debts? I’d laugh. Why, she’ll be a hundred before she can do it. Who is going to hear her sing? Nobody! It’s a good riddance for you—but that girl! I wouldn’t have thought it. No, sir! Going on the stage, is she! I like that. How would Mrs. Herbert White, the actress, sound? Or would she take some fancy name? Most of ’em do. Going to sing and pay the debts! Lord Harry, it makes me laugh! I must tell your mother the kind of a daughter she has missed!” He might have rambled on an hour longer if Herbert had not stopped him by saying,