guess, there are forty
ladies at this lawn-party. Every one of them possesses a beautiful
figure. It varies in price; and when it's particularly seductive you may
swear it comes from Paris. Why, how you stare! When I asked you what you
thought of my niece's figure, I meant--how much of it comes from Nature,
and how much of it comes from the Shop? I don't know, mind! Do you?"

"I'll take my oath to every inch of it!"

"Shop?"

"Nature!"

Sir Patrick rose to his feet; his satirical humor was silenced at last.

"If ever I have a son," he thought to himself, "that son shall go
to sea!" He took Arnold's arm, as a preliminary to putting an end to
Arnold's suspense. "If I _can_ be serious about any thing," he resumed,
"it's time to be serious with you. I am convinced of the sincerity of
your attachment. All I know of you is in your favor, and your birth and
position are beyond dispute. If you have Blanche's consent, you have
mine." Arnold attempted to express his gratitude. Sir Patrick, declining
to hear him, went on. "And remember this, in the future. When you next
want any thing that I can give you, ask for it plainly. Don't attempt to
mystify _me_ on the next occasion, and I will promise, on my side, not
to mystify _you._ There, that's understood. Now about this journey of
yours to see your estate. Property has its duties, Master Arnold, as
well as its rights. The time is fast coming when its rights will be
disputed, if its duties are not performed. I have got a new interest in
you, and I mean to see that you do your duty. It's settled you are to
leave Windygates to-day. Is it arranged how you are to go?"

"Yes, Sir Patrick. Lady Lundie has kindly ordered the gig to take me to
the station, in time for the next train."

"When are you to be ready?"

Arnold looked at his watch. "In a quarter of an hour."

"Very good. Mind you _are_ ready. Stop a minute! you will have plenty of
time to speak to Blanche when I have done with you. You don't appear to
me to be sufficiently anxious about seeing your own property."

"I am not very anxious to leave Blanche, Sir--that's the truth of it."

"Never mind Blanche. Blanche is not business. They both begin with a
B--and that's the only connection between them. I hear you have got one
of the finest houses in this part of Scotland. How long are you going to
stay in Scotland? How long are you going to stay in it?"

"I have arranged (as I have already told you, Sir) to return to
W