e it up to-morrow. Well, I have Peacock's Range and about four
hundred pounds a-year."

Her face brightened. "Then you need not talk about starving," she said,
gaily.

"And, later, I shall have altogether about a thousand a-year. Though I
hope it will be very long before it falls to me. Do you think two people
might venture to set up at Peacock's Range, and keep, say, a couple of
servants upon four hundred a-year? Could they exist upon it?"

"Oh, dear, yes," she answered eagerly, quite unconscious of his drift.
"Did you mean yourself and some friend?"

He nodded.

"Why, I don't see how they could spend it all. There'd be no rent to
pay. And just think of all the fruit and vegetables in the garden
there!"

"Then I take you at your word, Alice," he cried impulsively, passing his
arm round her waist. "You are the 'friend.' My dear, I have long wanted
to ask you to be my wife, and I did not dare. This place, Leet Hall,
encumbered me: for I feared the opposition that I, as its heir, should
inevitably meet."

She drew away from him, with doubting, frightened eyes. Mr. Harry
Carradyne brought all the persuasion of his own dancing blue ones to
bear upon her. "Surely, Alice, you will not say me nay!"

"I dare not say yes," she whispered.

"What are you afraid of?"

"Of it altogether; of your friends. Captain Monk
would--would--perhaps--turn me out. And there's Mrs. Carradyne!"

Harry laughed. "Captain Monk can have no right to any voice in my
affairs, once he throws me off; he cannot expect to have a finger in
everyone's pie. As to my mother--ah, Alice, unless I am much mistaken,
she will welcome you with love."

Alice burst into tears: emotion was stirring her to its depths.
"_Please_ to let it all be for a time," she pleaded. "If you speak it
would be sure to lead to my being turned away."

"I _will_ let it be for a time, my darling, so far as speaking of it
goes: for more reasons than one it may be better. But you are my
promised wife, Alice; always recollect that."

And Mr. Harry Carradyne, bold as a soldier should be, took a few kisses
from her unresisting lips to enforce his mandate.

IV.

Some time rolled on, calling for no particular record. Mr. Hamlyn's West
Indian property, which was large and lucrative, had been giving him
trouble of late; at least, those who had the care of it gave it, and he
was obliged to go over occasionally to see after it in person. Between
times he stayed with his wife a