and that he must come down handsome."

"And there was nothing done about Hemmiline?"

"No," said the father, rather shortly.

"If that was settled, that would be the clincher. There would be no
further trouble to nobody then. It would be all smooth sailing for
your life, governor, and lots of tin."

"I tell you what it is, Aby, you may just drop that, for I won't have
the young lady bothered about it, nor yet the young lady's father."

"You won't, won't you?"

"No, I won't; so there's an end of it."

"I suppose I may pay my distresses to any young lady if I think
fitting."

"And have yourself kicked into the ditch."

"I know too much for kicking, governor."

"They shall know as much as you do, and more too, if you go on with
that. There's a measure in all things. I won't have it done, so I
tell you." And the father turned his face round to the wall.

This was by no means the end of the conversation, though we need not
verbatim go through any more of it. It appeared that old Mollett
had told Sir Thomas that his permanent silence could be purchased
by nothing short of a settled "genteel" income for himself and his
son, no absolute sum having been mentioned; and that Sir Thomas had
required a fortnight for his answer, which answer was to be conveyed
to Mr. Mollett verbally at the end of that time. It was agreed that
Mr. Mollett should repeat his visit to Castle Richmond on that day
fortnight.

"In the mean time I'll go down and freshen the old gentleman up a
bit," said Aby, as he left his father's bedroom.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE REJECTED SUITOR.

After the interview between Herbert and his mother, it became an
understood thing at Castle Richmond that he was engaged to Lady
Clara. Sir Thomas raised no further objection, although it was clear
to all the immediate family that he was by no means gratified at his
son's engagement. Very little more passed between Sir Thomas and Lady
Fitzgerald on the subject. He merely said that he would consider the
question of his son's income, and expressed a hope, or perhaps an
opinion rather than a hope, that the marriage would not take place
quite immediately.

Under these circumstances, Herbert hardly spoke further to his father
upon the matter. He certainly did feel sore that he should be so
treated--that he should be made to understand that there was a
difficulty, but that the difficulty could not be explained to him.
No absolute opposition was however made, an