each other, but of course to let Niti marry him would be the negation of
the belief and teaching of more than half a lifetime. I hope the poor
girl won't take it too keenly to heart. I'm afraid he seems rather hard
hit, poor chap, but of course there's no help for it. Just fancy me the
father-in-law of a fighting man, and the grandfather of what might be a
brood of fighters! No, no; that is quite out of the question."

CHAPTER VII

MOSTLY POSSIBILITIES

The Professor went into the garden feeling just a trifle uncomfortable.
He not only loved his daughter dearly, but he also had a very deep and
well-justified respect for her intellect and scholarly attainments. Her
unfortunate love for a man whom he honestly believed to be a totally
unfit mate for her was the only shadow that had ever drifted between
them since she had become, not only his daughter, but his friend and
companion, and the enthusiastic sharer of his intellectual pursuits. Of
course, anything like a scene was utterly out of the question; but there
is a silence more eloquent than words, and it was that that he was
mostly afraid of.

He found her walking up and down the lawn with her hands behind her
back. She was a little paler than usual, and there was a shadow in her
eyes. She came towards him, and said quite quietly:

"Mr Merrill has been here, Dad, to say good-bye. I told him, and so we
have said it."

The simple words were spoken with a quiet and yet tender dignity which
made him feel prouder than ever of his daughter and all the more sorry
for her.

"I met him just outside the gate, Niti," he replied, looking at her
through a little mist in his eyes, "He spoke most honourably, and like
the gentleman that he is. I hope you will believe me----"

"I believe you in everything, Dad," she said quickly; "and since the
matter is ended, it will only hurt us both to say any more about it.
Now, I have some news," she continued, in a tone whose alteration was
well assumed.

"Ah! and what is that, Niti?" he asked, looking up at her with a smile
of relief.

"It's something that I hope you will be able to get some of your solemn
fun out of. One of the items in the 'Social Intelligence' to-day states
that your old friend, Professor Hoskins van Huysman, and his wife and
daughter have come to London, and will stay ten days before 'proceeding'
to Paris and the South of France, and so, of course, they will be here
for your lecture, and naturally he w