en your fancy in her place."

Morris bit his lip.

"Still speaking on that supposition," he replied, "would it not be more
dishonourable to marry her; would it not be kinder, shameful as it may
be, to tell her all the truth and let her seek some worthier man?"

The Colonel shrugged his shoulders. "I can't split hairs," he said,
"or enter on an argument of sentimental casuistry. But I tell you this,
Morris, although you are my only son, and the last of our name, that
rather than do such a thing, under all the circumstances, it would be
better that you should take a pistol and blow your brains out."

"Very probably," answered Morris, "but would you mind telling me
also what are the exact circumstances which would in your opinion so
aggravate this particular case?"

"You have a copy of your uncle Porson's will in that drawer; give it
me."

Morris obeyed, and his father searched for, and read the following
sentence: "In consideration of the forthcoming marriage between his
son Morris and my daughter Mary, the said testator remits all debts
and obligations that may be due to his estate by the said Richard Monk,
Lieutenant Colonel, Companion of the Bath, and an executor of this
will."

"Well," said Morris.

"Well," replied the Colonel coolly, "those debts in all amounted
to 19,543 pounds. No wonder you seem astonished, but they have been
accumulating for a score of years. There's the fact, any way, so
discussion is no use. Now do you understand? 'In consideration of the
forthcoming marriage,' remember."

"I shall be rich some day; that machine you laugh at will make me rich;
already I have been approached. I might repay this money."

"Yes, and you might not; such hopes and expectations have a way of
coming to nothing. Besides, hang it all, Morris, you know that there is
more than money in the question."

Morris hid his face in his hands for a moment; when he removed them it
was ashen. "Yes," he said, "things are unfortunate. You remember that
you were very anxious that I should engage myself, and Mary was so good
as to accept me. Perhaps, I cannot say, I should have done better to
have waited till I felt some real impulse towards marriage. However,
that is all gone by, and, father, you need not be in the least afraid;
there is not the slightest fear that I shall attempt to do anything of
which you would disapprove."

"I was sure you wouldn't, old fellow," answered the Colonel in a
friendly tone, "not when you