o my own," answered
Alice. "A husband who proposes to himself a career in life with which
I can sympathize. I think that I may perhaps help my cousin in the
career which he has chosen, and that alone is a great reason why I
should attempt to do so."

"With your money?" said Mr Vavasor with a sneer.

"Partly with my money," said Alice, disdaining to answer the sneer.
"Though it were only with my money, even that would be something."

"Well, Alice, as your father, I can only implore you to pause before
you commit yourself to his hands. If he demands money from you, and
you are minded to give it to him, let him have it in moderation.
Anything will be better than marrying him. I know that I cannot
hinder you; you are as much your own mistress as I am my own
master,--or rather a great deal more, as my income depends on my
going to that horrid place in Chancery Lane. But yet I suppose you
must think something of your father's wishes and your father's
opinion. It will not be pleasant for you to stand at the altar
without my being there near you."

To this Alice made no answer; but she told herself that it had not
been pleasant to her to have stood at so many places during the last
four years,--and to have found herself so often alone,--without her
father being near to her. That had been his fault, and it was not now
in her power to remedy the ill-effects of it.

"Has any day been fixed between you and him?" he asked.

"No, papa."

"Nothing has been said about that?"

"Yes; something has been said. I have told him that it cannot be for
a year yet. It is because I told him that, that I told him also that
he should have my money when he wanted it."

"Not all of it?" said Mr Vavasor.

"I don't suppose he will need it all. He intends to stand again for
Chelsea, and it is the great expense of the election which makes
him want money. You are not to suppose that he has asked me for it.
When I made him understand that I did not wish to marry quite yet,
I offered him the use of that which would be ultimately his own."

"And he has accepted it?"

"He answered me just as I had intended,--that when the need came he
would take me at my word."

"Then, Alice, I will tell you what is my belief. He will drain you of
every shilling of your money, and when that is gone, there will be no
more heard of the marriage. We must take a small house in some cheap
part of the town and live on my income as best we may. I shall go and
insur