y that such pressure ought to be resisted. Why
should there have been pressure, unless there were reasons against
her marrying him? And yet, if she chose to take him, who would have
a right to complain of her? Hugh Stanbury had never spoken to her a
word that would justify her in even supposing that he would consider
himself to be ill-used. All others of her friends would certainly
rejoice, would applaud her, pat her on the back, cover her with
caresses, and tell her that she had been born under a happy star. And
she did like the man. Nay;--she thought she loved him. She withdrew
her hands from her brow, assured herself that her lot in life was
cast, and with hurrying fingers attempted to smooth her hair and to
arrange her ribbons before the glass. She would go to the encounter
boldly and accept him honestly. It was her duty to do so. What might
she not do for brothers and sisters as the wife of Lord Peterborough
of Monkhams? She saw that that arrangement before the glass could be
of no service, and she stepped quickly to the door. If he did not
like her as she was, he need not ask her. Her mind was made up, and
she would do it. But as she went down the stairs to the room in which
she knew that he was waiting for her, there came over her a cold
feeling of self-accusation,--almost of disgrace. "I do not care,"
she said. "I know that I'm right." She opened the door quickly, that
there might be no further doubt, and found that she was alone with
him.

"Miss Rowley," he said, "I am afraid you will think that I am
persecuting you."

"I have no right to think that," she answered.

"I'll tell you why I have come. My dear father, who has always been
my best friend, is very ill. He is at Naples, and I must go to him.
He is very old, you know,--over eighty; and will never live to come
back to England. From what I hear, I think it probable that I may
remain with him till everything is over."

"I did not know that he was so old as that."

"They say that he can hardly live above a month or two. He will never
see my wife,--if I can have a wife; but I should like to tell him, if
it were possible,--that,--that--"

"I understand you, Mr. Glascock."

"I told you that I should come to you again, and as I may possibly
linger at Naples all the winter, I could not go without seeing you.
Miss Rowley, may I hope that you can love me?"

She did not answer him a word, but stood looking away from him with
her hands clasped together. Ha