"Who--" she began; then stopped short. "You have, of course, met the gentleman who has paid you this great compliment--the highest compliment--er--that man can pay to woman," proceeded Mr. Aubrey-Blythe grandly. "The proposal reached me by letter last week, and the author of that letter was"--he paused dramatically--"the Hon. Wipplinger Towle." The girl burst into a hysterical laugh. "Jane, I beg-- Will you not control yourself, madam? Ah--er--I see I shall be forced to call Lady Agatha." Jane instantly became calm. "Don't--please don't call Aunt Agatha," she begged. "It was only--I couldn't help thinking----" "I trust you will reflect carefully as to what this proposal means for you, Jane. I confess that I should have been--er--not displeased had the proposal embraced a different--that is to say--er--had the recipient of it been my own daughter, I should have been disposed to consider it not unfavorably. Lady Agatha was at first convinced that the gentleman had, in short, committed a most egregious blunder; but I am assured by word of mouth that this is not the case. It is you, Jane, he wishes to make his wife; you and no other. And I congratulate you sincerely upon the auspicious event. I will not deny that your future has been an occasional source of keen anxiety to me, and also, I believe, to my wife, Lady Agatha; portionless brides are not commonly sought by men--er--whose position in life is that of the Hon. Wipplinger Towle." "But--Uncle Robert; you can't mean that I-- You know I--couldn't _marry_ that man, Uncle Robert." "You could not marry the Hon. Wipplinger Towle? Surely, I do not understand you correctly, Jane. I perceive that you have been greatly surprised by the nature of my disclosure, totally unprepared for it as you were. And this much I regret, my dear child. You should have been apprised of the facts, you should indeed." Jane's heart was touched by the faint cadence of affection in the man's voice. "O Uncle Robert!" she cried, "do you look at all like my father? Do tell me that you do; I should so love to think so!" Mr. Aubrey-Blythe shook his head. "I do not resemble my deceased brother Oliver in the smallest particular," he said dryly. "And I have never felt that this was a cause of regret. Oliver was a most injudicious and hasty tempered person; his early death and many misfortunes were undoubtedly brought about by his own deplorable imprudence. I have often thought"--deliberately--"that you resemble him, Jane." "I'm glad I do!" retorted Jane. "And I may as well say once for all, Uncle Robert, that I will _not_ marry the Hon. Wipplinger Towle. You may tell him so."