delay, and seek another partner for his hand and home. But Abraham
Dyson saw another way of getting his sick wife properly looked to,
and had whispered his notion in the ear of his brother-in-law. The
Dysons and the Holts had had intimate business dealing with each
other for generations, and there had been many matrimonial
connections between them in times past. Martin himself had married
Abraham's sister, and he listened with equanimity and pleasure to
the proposal to ally one of his daughters with the solid and stolid
Jacob.

Jacob was not much to look at, but he would be a man of
considerable substance in time, and he had a shrewd head enough for
business. As it had not pleased Providence to bless Martin Holt
with sons, the best he could do was to find suitable husbands for
his daughters, and seek amongst his sons-in-law for one into whose
hands his business might worthily be intrusted. Daughters were
still, and for many generations later, looked upon very much in the
light of chattels to be disposed of at will by their parents and
guardians, and it had not entered honest Martin's head that his
wilful little Cherry would dare to set up her will in opposition to
his.

Jacob, who had been taken into the confidence of his elders, had
expressed his preference for the youngest of his three cousins; and
though not a word had been spoken to the girl upon the subject as
yet, Martin looked upon the matter as settled.

Scarcely had the bustle of the first arrivals died down before the
remaining two guests arrived--a tall, bent man with the face of a
student and book lover, followed by his son, also a man of rather
distinguished appearance for his station in life. The two Coles,
father and son, were amongst those many Roman Catholic sufferers
who had been ruined on account of their religion during the last
reign; and now they gained a somewhat scanty livelihood by keeping
a second-hand book shop on the bridge, selling paper and parchment
and such like goods, and acting as scriveners to any who should
desire to avail themselves of their skill in penmanship.

They were both reputed to be men of considerable learning, and as
they had fallen from a different position, they were looked up to
with a certain amount of respect. Some were disposed to sneer at
and flout them, but they were on the whole well liked amongst their
neighbours. They were very quiet people, and never spoke one word
of the matters which came to their knowl