would be such a great thing for
you. He's worth at least three thousand a year, and he's head over heels
in love with you. Think what it'd be, child, never to be worried about
money again," and she sighed; my poor mother, she had been worried about
every conceivable thing, and more especially this weary money, all her
life, and she never expected to be free from care again.

"Think what it 'd be like to be tied to a brute like Dick Stanton all
your life!" But she only shook her head and said again, "he was so much
in love with me I could do what I liked with him;" and then she added,
that if I did not know what was good for me, she, my mother, did, and
she would take care my interests did not suffer. It was her duty to look
after them as my mother, and she would. Oh! that little word "duty"! It
seems to me all sorts of petty cruelties are committed in the name of
"duty." And after that Dick Stanton never came to the house, but I, more
unwilling than ever, was sent for to entertain him. Even now I don't
know whether he really cared, or whether it was simply that he wanted a
wife, and I was the only decent-looking girl within reach. And I hated
him for it with all my heart, and at last, as things got worse, for my
mother had told him that my coldness was all shyness on my part, I was
so miserable and perplexed I cried my heart out in the gully, and Paul
came and found me and got the whole truth out of me. How angry he was!
I can see him now walking up and down talking to himself, and I dried my
eyes and began to think things were not half so bad, since I had thrown
all my cares on him.

"But Paul," I said, with an attempt at a smile, "you know after all it's
very foolish of me to make such a fuss. They can't make me marry a man
I don't want to. And I hate him, I hate him. You just don't know how I
hate him."

"My darling," he said, sitting down on a log and drawing me towards him,
"how am I to help you? I can't have my little sweetheart's life worried
out of her in this way. Hope, I had better go to your father and tell
him all about it."

"And that would end it all effectually," I sobbed. "Mother would say I
was too young to know my own mind. She would say once you were away I
would forget you, and she would get Dick Stanton to--to--"

"Give me the sack," said Paul bitterly. "Who knows; perhaps it might be
best for you. I 'm not bringing you much happiness, dear."

"Yes, yes, yes; what should I do without you, Pau