nt to him that his views of life were so unlike her own,
that there could be no chance of happiness between them, unless each
could strive to lean somewhat towards the other. No man could be more
gracious in word and manner than John Grey; no man more chivalrous in
his carriage towards a woman; but he always spoke and acted as though
there could be no question that his manner of life was to be adopted,
without a word or thought of doubting, by his wife. When two came
together, why should not each yield something, and each claim
something? This she had meant to say to him on this day; but now that
he was with her she could not say it.

"John," she said at last, "do not press me about this till I return."

"But then you will say the time is short. It would be short then."

"I cannot answer you now;--indeed, I cannot. That is I cannot answer
in the affirmative. It is such a solemn thing."

"Will it ever be less solemn, dearest?"

"Never, I hope never."

He did not press her further then, but kissed her and bade her
farewell.

CHAPTER IV

George Vavasor, the Wild Man

It will no doubt be understood that George Vavasor did not roam about
in the woods unshorn, or wear leathern trappings and sandals, like
Robinson Crusoe, instead of coats and trousers. His wildness was of
another kind. Indeed, I don't know that he was in truth at all wild,
though Lady Macleod had called him so, and Alice had assented to her
use of the word.

George Vavasor had lived in London since he was twenty, and now, at
the time of the beginning of my story, he was a year or two over
thirty. He was and ever had been the heir to his grandfather's
estate; but that estate was small, and when George first came to
London his father was a strong man of forty, with as much promise
of life in him as his son had. A profession had therefore been
absolutely necessary to him; and he had, at his uncle John's
instance, been placed in the office of a parliamentary land agent.
With this parliamentary land agent he had quarrelled to the knife,
but not before he had by his talents made himself so useful that
he had before him the prospects of a lucrative partnership in the
business. George Vavasor had many faults, but idleness--absolute
idleness--was not one of them. He would occasionally postpone his
work to pleasure. He would be at Newmarket when he should have been
at Whitehall. But it was not usual with him to be in bed when he
should be at his de