er. "I hate such conscience. I
like the conscience that makes a girl keep her word, and not bring
disgrace upon those she belongs to."

"I shall not think that I am disgraced," said Grey, quietly, "if
she will come and be my wife. She has meant to do right, and has
endeavoured to take care of the happiness of other people rather than
her own."

"She has taken very little care of mine," said Mr Vavasor.

"I shall not be at all afraid to trust mine to her,--if she will let
me do so. But she has been wounded sorely, and it must take time."

"And, in the meantime, what are we to do when she tells us that
Mr George Vavasor wants another remittance? Two thousand pounds a
quarter comes heavy, you know!"

"Let us hope that he has had enough."

"Enough! Did such a man ever have enough?"

"Let us hope, then, that she thinks he has had enough. Come;--may I
go up-stairs?"

"Oh, yes. I'll follow you. She'll think that I mean something if I
leave you together."

From all this it will be seen that Alice's father and her lover still
stood together on confidential terms. Not easily had Mr Vavasor
brought himself to speak of his daughter to John Grey, in such
language as he had now used; but he had been forced by adverse
circumstances to pass the Rubicon of parental delicacy; he had been
driven to tell his wished-for son-in-law that he did wish to have him
as a son-in-law; he had been compelled to lay aside those little airs
of reserve with which a father generally speaks of his daughter,--and
now all was open between them.

"And you really start to-morrow?" said Grey, as he stood close
over Alice's work-table. Mr Vavasor had followed him into the
drawing-room, but had seated himself in an easy-chair on the other
side of the fire. There was no tone of whispering in Grey's voice,
but yet he spoke in a manner which showed that he did not intend to
be audible on the other side of the room.

"I start for Westmoreland to-morrow. We do not leave London for the
continent till the latter end of next week."

"But you will not be here again?"

"No; I shall not come back to Queen Anne Street."

"And you will be away for many months?"

"Mr Palliser talked of next Easter as the term of his return. He
mentioned Easter to Lady Glencora. I have not seen him myself since I
agreed to go with him."

"What should you say if you met me somewhere in your travels?" He had
now gently seated himself on the sofa beside her;--not so close to