h."

"Is that your engagement ring?"

"It is. Mr. Burrell says it was his mother's engagement ring; but,
then, gems are all second-hand--a hundred-hand--a thousand-hand for
that."

"Burrell! You take my breath away! Burrell! The man who has a bank in
Threadneedle Street?"

"The same."

"Good gracious, Elizabeth! You have made all our fortunes! You noble
girl! I did not know he was thinking of you."

"He was waiting for me. Destiny, Roland. But he is a noble-hearted
man, and he loves me and I intend to be a good wife to him. I do
indeed. He is going to make a great settlement on me, and I shall have
an income of my own from it--all my own, to do what I like with."

"Elizabeth, dear, I always have loved you better than anything else in
the world. You will not forget me now, will you, dear?"

"Why, Roland, I thought of you when I accepted Mr. Burrell. When I am
married, Roland, I shall manage things for you as you wish them, I
daresay. The man loves me so much that I could get not the half, but
the whole of his kingdom from him."

"You are the dearest, noblest sister in the world."

"I could not bear to go to sleep without making you as happy as
myself. Now, Roland, there is something you must not do, and that is,
have any love nonsense with Denas Penelles. At Burrell Court you will
meet rich girls and girls of good birth, and your only chance is in a
rich marriage--you know it is, Roland."

"Oh, I do not quite think that, Elizabeth."

"Roland, you know it. How many situations have you had and lost? If
Mr. Burrell gave you a desk in his bank to-morrow, you would hand back
its key before my wedding-day."

"Perhaps; but there are other ways."

"None for you but a rich marriage. Every other way supposes work, and
you will not work. You know you will not."

"I have some objections."

"Now, any trouble with a fisherman's daughter would be bad every way.
There is the dislike rich girls have for low amours, and, worse still,
the dreadfully Cornish habit fishers have of standing together. If you
offend John Penelles or wrong him in the least, you offend and wrong
every man in St. Penfer fishing quarter. Do not snap your fingers so
scornfully, Roland; you would be no match for a banded enmity like
that."

"All this about Denas?"

"Yes; all this about Denas. The girl is a vain little thing, but I do
not want to see her breaking her heart about your handsome face."

She drew the handsome face down to her lip