sation, when the row is all about her.
Look here, father: I say again I am awfully sorry you are vexed; but
as N--she says, it is too late to mend matters now. I have made my
choice, for better for worse, and I am sorry it does not please you."

"Please me!" retorted Mr. Mayne; and then he added, venomously: "The
girl said you would not marry without my permission; but I will never
give it. Come, Dick, it is no use thwarting me in this: you are our
only child and we have other plans for you. Pshaw! you are only a boy!
You have not seen the world yet. There are dozens of girls far
prettier than this Nan. Give this nonsense up, and there is nothing I
will not do for you; you shall travel, have your liberty, do as you
like for the next two or three years, and I will not worry you about
marrying. Why, you are only one-and-twenty; and you have two more
years of University life! What an idea,--a fine young fellow like you
talking of tying yourself down to matrimony!"

"There is no use in my going back to Oxford, father," returned Dick,
steadily; "thank you kindly all the same, but, it would be sheer waste
of money. I have made up my mind to go into the City; it is the
fashionable thing nowadays. And one does not need Greek and Latin for
that, though, of course, it is an advantage to a fellow, and gives him
a standing; but, as I have to get my own living, I cannot afford the
two years. Your old chums Stanfield & Stanfield would give me a berth
at once."

"Is the boy mad? What on earth do you mean by all this tomfoolery?"
demanded Mr. Mayne, unable to believe his ears. His small gray eyes
opened widely and irately on his son; but Dick took no notice. He
walked on, with his shoulders looking rather square and determined;
the corners of his mouth were working rebelliously: evidently he did
not dare to look at his father for fear of breaking into
incontrollable laughter. Really the dear old boy was getting too
absurd; he--Dick--could not stand it much longer. "What in the name of
all that is foolish do you mean, sir?" thundered Mr. Mayne.

Dick executed a low whistle, and then he said, in an aggrieved
voice,--

"Well, father, I don't call you very consistent. I suppose I know what
being disinherited means? In plain language, you have told me about
half a dozen times that if I stick to Nan I am not to expect a
shilling of your money. Now, in my own mind, of course I call that
precious hard on a fellow, considering I have not