"It is the only bar I urge," said Mrs. Hanway-Harley suavely. "Then I am to understand that, should a day come when I can measure wealth with Mr. Harley, I may claim Dorothy as my own?" Mrs. Hanway-Harley bowed. "My daughter, however, must not be bound by any promise." "Your daughter, madam," returned Richard, with a color of pride, "shall never be bound by me. Though I held a score of promises, I would have no wife who did not come to me of her free choice. I do not look on love as a business proposition." "Older people do," responded Mrs. Hanway-Harley dryly. "Madam," said Richard, "I have only one more question to ask. What is to be my attitude towards your daughter, while I am searching for that fortune?" It was here that Mrs. Hanway-Harley made her greatest stroke; she reached Richard where he had no defense. "Your attitude, Mr. Storms, towards my daughter, I shall leave to you for adjustment as a man of honor." Richard crossed the street to Dorothy and told her what had passed. Dorothy kissed him, and cried over him, and made a wail against their darkling fate. "How I wish papa was poor!" cried Dorothy. "I wish he didn't have a dollar!" Then, conscience-stricken: "No, I don't! Poor pop; he doesn't hate money, if I do." Richard took Dorothy's sweet face between his hands, and looked into her eyes. "You will believe me, darling?" "Yes!" "Then don't weep, don't worry! I promise that within the year you shall be my wife. I'll find the way to find the money." "And hear me promise," returned Dorothy. "Money or no money, I'll become your wife what day you will." Of course, after such a speech, there befell a sweet world and all of foolish tenderness; but, since the scandalized Ajax would not stay to witness it, neither shall you. Mrs. Hanway-Harley said nothing to Dorothy of her interview with Richard; she appeared to believe that Richard had saved her that labor. There was a kind of sneer in this. Feeling the sneer, Dorothy put no questions; she was willing, in her resentment, to have it understood that Richard had told her. Why should he not?--she who was to be his wife! Dorothy would have been proud to proclaim her troth from the house-tops. Mrs. Hanway-Harley had Storri to dinner. Dorothy, when he was announced, sought her room. A moment later, Mrs. Hanway-Harley was at the door. She came in cool, collected, no trace of anger. Why did not Dorothy come down to dinner? Dorothy did not come down to dinner because Dorothy did not choose. "You do not ask Mr. Storms to dinner," said Dorothy, her color coming and her eyes beginning to glow. "I will not meet your Storri." "Mr. Storms is not in our set, dear," said Mrs. Hanway-Harley coldly. "He is in my heart," returned Dorothy. The self-willed one seated herself stoutly, and never another word could Mrs. Hanway-Harley draw from her.