father's permission to take possession of me! Go to him and tell him the
falsehood you first suggested! Oh! how I hate you!"

And pale and cold and hard as she always was in his presence, with a
loathing that was too deep for flush of cheek or flash of eye, she turned
and re-entered the house.

He looked after her with a perfectly demoniacal expression of mingled
longing and malignity, muttering:

"Oh, very well, my lady! It is your day now! But it will be mine soon! And
then I shall know how to reduce you to submission."

He took another cigar from his pocket case, lighted it and recommenced his
slow walk up and down the porch, smoking as before.

So far his plan had succeeded. The mother's consent to his marriage with
the heiress had been wrung from her through her fears for her husband. The
daughter's consent had been wheedled from her through her love for her
mother. These certainly seemed the most important steps toward ultimate
triumph. But yet there remained the father's consent to be obtained. And
this, which at first seemed of little moment, now grew into something of
grave consideration.

To be sure, he could easily go to Mr. Force and tell him that he loved his
daughter, and that he wished to marry her; also that he had been so
fortunate as to win such an interest in her heart as to make this marriage
a matter in which her life's happiness was concerned.

He could say all this and more, without troubling himself about its
truthfulness; and so far, well.

But how should he justify himself to his host for having taken advantage
of opportunity and abused hospitality by seeking the affections of the
young daughter of his host, when he knew that her father cherished other
matrimonial intentions for her, in which she also had perfectly coincided,
until allured from her fidelity by the trusted guest of the house?

Ay! how should he explain all this to Mr. Force?

Not so very easily; but, then, Col. Anglesea was a very plausible person,
and Mr. Force was one of the least suspicious among men.

Anglesea, walking up and down the porch, and puffing away at his cigar,
resolved to put on an air of blunt, soldierly frankness; tell Mr.
Force--what he chose to call--the state of the case, and leave the affair
in her father's hands, to be dealt with as he should see fit--knowing full
well what the event would be.

Now that the girl's consent to the marriage was secured, and her lips were
sealed as to her own fe