"Well, you shall, if that's your wish," answered Miles. "I went to church on Sunday and had a good look at her, and thought she saw me with my eyes fixed on her from one end of the service to the other, but she hurried home among a lot of people, and I hadn't a chance of getting alongside to put in a word. For three whole days she never showed outside the gates, and I thought at last of going and calling on the old ladies with a story I had got up, but when I came to learn what sort of people they are, I found that would not do. Then I thought of another plan." "I tell you I don't want your thought's," growled Gaffin. "What were your acts?" "That's what I was coming to," answered Miles. "As ill-luck would have it I was off watch when she slipped out, and I discovered had gone down to old Halliburt's. You may be sure I kept a look-out for her on her return. I saw her coming along, and thought I had got the game in my own hands, but by--" and he swore a fearful oath, "the girl was altogether different to those I have had to do with. Beautiful, I believe you, she is, but as haughty as if she was a born princess; and just as I was going to show her what sort of a fellow I was, she slipped away and ran off towards a young chap and took his arm, just as if she had been accustomed to keep company with him. I watched them as they went by, and he seemed to be looking for me in no very friendly mood, for I saw him double his fists, and he was not the sort of fellow I wished to come to close quarters with, or I would have gone up to him and asked what he meant by carrying off the girl I was talking to." "The long and short of it," said Gaffin, as soon as he could master his anger, "is that you frightened the young lady, and got a rebuff which you might have expected. But as for the young fellow, I know who he is, and he won't interfere with you. Just do you go on and persevere, and if you do not succeed we must try other means. Marry the girl I am determined you shall, whether she likes it or not, and I can depend upon you. Remember I am not one to have my plans thwarted, least of all by my own son." "I will not thwart them, you may trust me for that," answered Miles. "The girl is about as pretty as I ever set eyes on, and I am obliged to you for putting me up to the matter. But, I say, I should like to know more about her. You led me to suppose that there is some secret you had got hold of--what is it?" "That's nothing to you at present. Your business is to win the girl, whether she is a fisherman's or a lord's daughter. She was brought up as the Halliburt's child, though I suppose she knows that she is not, yet she has no reason to think much of herself, except on account of her good looks, and those, from what I have heard of the old ladies she lives with, they would have taught her not to pride herself on."