It would be better for Mary Lowther that Walter Marrable should marry Edith Brownlow. Such, at least, was Miss Marrable's belief. She could see that Mary, though she bore herself bravely, still did so as one who had received a wound for which there was no remedy;--as a man who has lost a leg and who nevertheless intends to enjoy life though he knows that he never can walk again. But in this case, the real bar to walking was the hope in Mary's breast,--a hope that was still present, though it was not nourished,--that the leg was not irremediably lost. If Captain Marrable would finish all that by marrying Edith, then,--so thought Miss Marrable,--in process of time the cure would be made good, and there might be another leg. She did not believe much in the Captain's constancy, and was quite ready to listen to the story about another love. And so from day to day words were dropped into Mary's ear which had their effect. "I must say that I am glad that he is not to go to India," said Miss Marrable to her niece. "So, indeed, am I," answered Mary. "In the first place it is such an excellent thing that he should be on good terms at Dunripple. He must inherit the property some day, and the title too." To this Mary made no reply. It seemed to her to have been hard that the real state of things should not have been explained to her before she gave up her lover. She had then regarded any hope of relief from Dunripple as being beyond measure distant. There had been a possibility, and that was all,--a chance to which no prudent man or woman would have looked in making their preparations for the life before them. That had been her idea as to the Dunripple prospects; and now it seemed that on a sudden Walter was to be regarded as almost the immediate heir. She did not blame him; but it did appear to be hard upon her. "I don't see the slightest reason why he shouldn't live at Dunripple," continued Miss Marrable. "Only that he would be dependent. I suppose he does not mean to sell out of the army altogether." "At any rate, he may be backwards and forwards. You see, there is no chance of Sir Gregory's own son marrying." "So they say." "And his position would be really that of a younger brother in similar circumstances." Mary paused a moment before she replied, and then she spoke out. "Dear Aunt Sarah, what does all this mean? I know you are speaking at me, and yet I don't quite understand it. Everything between me and Captain Marrable is over. I have no possible means of influencing his life. If I were told to-morrow that he had given up the army and taken to living altogether at Dunripple, I should have no means of judging whether he had done well or ill. Indeed, I should have no right to judge." "You must be glad that the family should be united." "I am glad. Now, is that all?" "I want you to bring yourself to think without regret of his probable marriage with this young lady." "You don't suppose I shall blame him if he marries her."