g Nan has learned her
business, for, as we shall be tolerably poor, it will be handy for her
to make her own gowns."

"Very well, Dick."

"I shall go up to Mr. Stansfield to-morrow; and the day after I
suppose I had better write to the Dean. You may not believe me,
father,"--and here Dick's lip quivered for the first time,--"but I am
awfully sorry to cross you in this way; but my heart is so set on Nan
that I could not possibly bring myself to live without her." But to
this Mr. Mayne made no reply, and they walked the remainder of the way
in silence.

Mrs. Mayne's heart grew sick with apprehension when she saw their
faces at dinner.

Dick looked decidedly cross. To do him justice, the poor fellow was
thoroughly miserable; but his aspect was cheerful compared to that of
her husband.

Mr. Mayne would not speak; neither would he eat. And even the footman,
who took away the untasted viands, looked at his master with fear and
trembling, his countenance was so gloomy.

Dick did not seem to notice his father's failure of appetite; but Mrs.
Mayne was one of those women who are given to fancy that if a man
refuse his dinner there is something serious the matter with him. And
as the meal proceeded she cast piteous looks at her son, but Dick
totally ignored them.

As soon as the servants had handed round the fruit, and had left the
room, Mr. Mayne rose from the table, leaving his claret untasted, and
shut himself into the library, first banging the door behind him, a
sound that made his wife's heart palpitate.

"Oh, Dick, what was happened to your father?" she asked, turning to
her boy for comfort. But Dick was unusually sulky, and refused to
answer.

"You had better ask him, mother, if you are anxious to know," he
replied, in a voice he very seldom used to her. "As for me, I am so
sick of the whole thing, and feel myself so badly used, that I would
rather not open my lips on the subject."

Then Mrs. Mayne sighed, for she knew Dick had one of his obstinate
fits on him, and that there would be no further word spoken by him
that night.

Poor woman! She knew it was her duty to go into the library and speak
a word of comfort to her husband. It might be that Dick had been
contumacious, and had angered his father, and it might be her task to
pour in the balm of sympathy. Even if he had been hard on her boy, she
must not forget that he was her husband.

But as she opened the door she forgot her doubts in a moment. Mr.