who
has not done anything to show that he is above the ordinary run of
respectable young gentlemen." The girl spoke in a somewhat bantering
tone.

"But really, Miss Fanny Aveling, you are expecting too much at the
present day. Gentlemen cannot go forth with a lance and fight in
tournaments, as in days of yore, to win the admiration of the ladies of
their love. I offer you an honest heart, and I have every reason to
believe I shall establish a comfortable home; and really I think that is
a more sensible thing than running the risk of getting a knock on the
head for no purpose whatever."

"How fearfully matter-of-fact you are," answered Fanny. "I tell you I
do not like matter-of-fact people. If you had been a soldier or sailor,
and had fought the battles of your country, and got wounded, and
obtained a number of medals for your gallantry, I might possibly have
felt differently towards you."

"But I have had no opportunity of doing anything of the sort," urged
Frank Carlton. "I came out here to form an estate, and I have succeeded
in what I undertook, while a number of other persons with similar
opportunities have failed. I do not say this for the sake of boasting,
but simply as a fact which is certainly not discreditable."

"Humdrum," answered the young lady, half to herself. "Numbers have done
as well."

"So they have," said Frank Carlton, "and are married and settled, and
have every reason to be thankful that they came to the country."

"Well, Mr Carlton, there is no use carrying on the conversation
further," exclaimed Fanny: "You ask me to give you my heart and hand; I
frankly confess I have no inclination to do so."

"But, surely, you have led me to suppose you would," said Frank, in a
tone of reproach.

"That was when I did not think you in earnest," said Fanny. "If you had
said this before, I should have given you an answer which might then
have satisfied you."

"Nothing will satisfy me but `yes,'" said Frank, "for I believe that you
have more sense than you pretend to have."

"That is to say, you think I have sense enough to love you," said Fanny,
still in a tone of banter. "We part as friends, however, and if you
insist on coming to call upon my sister, Mrs Barton, of course I cannot
help it, only do not for a moment suppose that I give you any
encouragement."

Frank Carlton, having graduated at Oxford, had come out a few years
before to set up as a farmer in Canada. He had enjoyed the a