The next day Ralph rejoined the company in the Isle of Wight and in the evening, when supper was over, he with some trepidation told his story to the Manager. Macneillie had of late been very silent and depressed and Ralph hated having to speak of his own happiness to one who was in the depths of dejection. However with an effort he broke the ice. “I saw Miss Ewart’s new guardian Mr. Hereford in town,” he began, “and it seems that almost the whole of her fortune has been lost by that swindling trustee of hers. She has nothing left but a couple of hundred a year which luckily was tied up and out of Sir Matthew’s reach.” “The scoundrel!” exclaimed Macneillie, “so he had the audacity to put her fortune into his rotten companies I suppose?” “Yes. However it’s an ill wind that blows nobody good. The fortune is gone but so is Sir Matthew, and the new guardian permits our engagement and sees no reason why it should be a long one, he is distantly related to the Lord Chancellor and thinks he will consent to our being married shortly.” “And what does Miss Ewart say? have you heard from her?” “I have seen her, she was passing through London on her way to Ireland. Well, she talked very sensibly about the money, had hoped it might be useful to us, but chiefly looked on it in my fashion as a hindrance to our immediate marriage now safely removed.” Macneillie’s grave face was suddenly convulsed with merriment. He laughed aloud at this view of the case. “Was there ever such a couple of babies!” he said. “Pray how do you mean to live?” “On my salary to be sure,” said Ralph, “and on the two hundred which Evereld has left.” “You are over young yet to get much of a salary in London, and, even if we succeeded in getting you an engagement there, who can tell how long you would be secure of keeping it? Then living and rent is much higher in London, and Miss Ewart has never been used to anything except the very best.” “But why do you speak of London?” said Ralph. “Do you mean to give me the sack, Governor, if I marry?” Macneillie turned and looked at him in some surprise. “I naturally concluded that having gained some experience with me you meant to go off at the earliest opportunity. That is the way of the world. You don’t mean that you intend to bring your wife to travel with us?” “Why not? It is often done. Harden’s wife used to go about with him, they say.” “Oh, of course it is often done, but after the sort of life Miss Ewart has been accustomed to----” Ralph broke in eagerly. “We talked it over very carefully, I told her exactly what it would be like, and she is only longing for the fun of it all. Indeed she made a very audacious proposal.” “What was that?” said Macneillie pleased and interested in spite of himself.