l laughed shortly.

"Young people seem to imagine that their elders cannot see what is
happening under their eyes. I have watched you and Mollie, and thought
that there might possibly be an interesting _denouement_ to your
friendship. She has faults, but she has a kind heart and would make a
good wife."

Jack's face stiffened.

"Hadn't we better keep her name out of the discussion, sir? I have the
greatest respect and admiration for both your nieces, but, as far as
anything further is concerned, I am not in a position to think of
marriage. It may be years before I can keep a house, and I would never
tie down a girl indefinitely."

"In this instance it might happen that the girl had a house of her own!
Did it never strike you that you would be doubling your chances if you
linked them together?"

"I am not a fool, sir! Of course I realised as much from the first, and
have wondered if it was part of your scheme. My idea of marriage,
however, is to be able to keep my wife, not to accept support. It may
be a weakness in my nature, which makes me wish to be head of my own
household; but weakness or not, there it is, and I can't get rid of it.
It would be detestable to me to marry an heiress, and if I were a girl I
should despise a man who was content to live on his wife's money."

"Just so--just so! Very praiseworthy sentiments, no doubt; but I should
have been glad to know that the child had a protector. The stepfather
is a broken reed, and the mother is a child herself; however, you place
your pride and your prejudice first, and that's the end of the business.
You will go back to town, she to the North--a very effectual
separation!"

He shrugged his shoulders expressively; but Jack's eyes gave out a
sudden flash, he straightened himself, and cried eagerly--

"There are trains, there are boats--if it comes to that, it is only two
hundred miles. If she were in trouble, one could _walk_! It would make
no difference if the woman one wanted were at the end of the world--one
would get to her _somehow_ when the hour arrived! Difficulty is an
inspiration, sir, when one is young!"

"Yes, yes; when one is young--when one is young!" The smile which had
lightened the old man's face died away at the sound of those last words.
He raised his hand and pushed the thin locks from his brow. "Well, it
is your own life--you must live it in your own way! I cannot benefit
you against your will. If your mind is made up I