ee something of that in his letters,' said the mother
thoughtfully. 'Not much.'

'You will see more of it when he comes. What do you say in answer to
his inquiries?'

'About the Gainsboroughs? Nothing. I never allude to them.'

Silence. Mr. Dallas read his paper comfortably. Mrs. Dallas's brow was
still careful.

'It would be like him as he used to be, if he were to make the journey
to New York to find them. And if we should seem to oppose him, it might
set his fancy seriously in that direction. There's danger, husband.
Pitt is very persistent.'

'Don't see much to tempt him in that direction.'

'Beauty! And Pitt knows he will have money enough; he would not care
for that.'

'I do,' said Mr. Dallas, without ceasing to read his paper.

'I would not mind the girl being poor,' Mrs. Dallas went on, 'for Pitt
_will_ have money enough--enough for both; but, Hildebrand, they are
incorrigible dissenters, and I do _not_ want Pitt's wife to be of that
persuasion.'

'I won't have it, either.'

'Then we shall do well to think how we can prevent it. If we could have
somebody here to take up his attention at least'--

'Preoccupy the ground,' said Mr. Dallas. 'The colonel would say that is
good strategy.'

'I do not mean strategy,' said Mrs. Dallas. 'I want Pitt to fancy a
woman proper for him, in every respect.'

'Exactly. Have you one in your eye? Here in America it is difficult.'

'I was thinking of Betty Frere.'

'Humph! If she could catch him,--she might do.'

'She has no money; but she has family, and beauty.'

'You understand these things better than I do,' said Mr. Dallas, half
amused, half sharing his wife's anxiety. 'Would she make a comfortable
daughter-in-law for you?'

'That is secondary,' said Mrs. Dallas, still with a raised brow,
knitting her scarlet and blue with out knowing what colour went through
her fingers. Perhaps her husband's tone had implied doubt.

'If she can catch him,' Mr. Dallas repeated. 'There is no calculating
on these things. Cupid's arrows fly wild--for the most part.'

'I will ask her to come and spend the summer here,' Mrs. Dallas went
on. 'There is nothing like propinquity.'

In those days the crossing of the Atlantic was a long business, done
solely by the help or with the hindrance of the winds. And there was no
telegraphing, to give the quick notice of a loved one's arrival as soon
as he touched the shore. So Mr. and Mrs. Dallas had an anxious time of
watching and u