without
mutual affection; and I do fully trust--no, not trust, but
hope--that there may be such between you and me, dearest
Miss Dunstable. Whatever settlements you might propose,
I should accede to. It is you, your sweet person, that I
love, not your money.

For myself, I need not remind you that I am the second son
of my father; and that, as such, I hold no inconsiderable
station in the world. My intention is to get into
Parliament, and to make a name for myself, if I can, among
those who shine in the House of Commons. My elder brother,
Lord Porlock, is, you are aware, unmarried; and we
all fear that the family honours are not likely to be
perpetuated by him, as he has all manner of troublesome
liaisons which will probably prevent his settling in life.
There is nothing at all of that kind in my way. It will
indeed be a delight to place a coronet on the head of my
lovely Martha: a coronet which can give no fresh grace to
her, but which will be so much adorned by her wearing it.

Dearest Miss Dunstable, I shall wait with the utmost
impatience for your answer; and now, burning with hope
that it may not be altogether unfavourable to my love, I
beg permission to sign myself--

Your own most devoted,

GEORGE DE COURCY.

The ardent lover had not to wait long for an answer from his
mistress. She found this letter on her toilet-table one night as she
went to bed. The next morning she came down to breakfast and met her
swain with the most unconcerned air in the world; so much so that
he began to think, as he munched his toast with rather a shamefaced
look, that the letter on which so much was to depend had not yet come
safely to hand. But his suspense was not of a prolonged duration.
After breakfast, as was his wont, he went out to the stables with his
brother and Frank Gresham; and while there, Miss Dunstable's man,
coming up to him, touched his hat, and put a letter into his hand.

Frank, who knew the man, glanced at the letter and looked at his
cousin; but he said nothing. He was, however, a little jealous, and
felt that an injury was done to him by any correspondence between
Miss Dunstable and his cousin George.

Miss Dunstable's reply was as follows; and it may be remarked that
it was written in a very clear and well-penned hand, and one which
certainly did not betray much emotion of the heart:--

MY DEAR MR DE COURCY,

I am s