oking very strangely! Is the heat of the
room too much for you?"

"Never mind the heat! I have seen enough to-night to justify me in
insisting that your daughter and Launcelot Linzie shall meet no more
between this and the day of my marriage." Sir Joseph attempted to speak.
Turlington declined to give him the opportunity. "Yes! yes! your opinion
of Linzie isn't mine, I know. I saw you as thick as thieves together
just now." Sir Joseph once more attempted to make himself heard. Wearied
by Turlington's perpetual complaints of his daughter and his nephew, he
was sufficiently irritated by this time to have reported what Launce had
actually said to him if he had been allowed the chance. But Turlington
persisted in going on. "I cannot prevent Linzie from being received in
this house, and at your sister's," he said; "but I can keep him out of
_my_ house in the country, and to the country let us go. I propose a
change in the arrangements. Have you any engagement for the Christmas
holidays?"

He paused, and fixed his eyes attentively on Sir Joseph. Sir Joseph,
looking a little surprised, replied briefly that he had no engagement.

"In that case," resumed Turlington, "I invite you all to Somersetshire,
and I propose that the marriage shall take place from my house, and not
from yours. Do you refuse?"

"It is contrary to the usual course of proceeding in such cases,
Richard," Sir Joseph began.

"Do you refuse?" reiterated Turlington. "I tell you plainly, I shall
place a construction of my own upon your motive if you do."

"No, Richard," said Sir Joseph, quietly, "I accept."

Turlington drew back a step in silence. Sir Joseph had turned the tables
on him, and had taken _him_ by surprise.

"It will upset several plans, and be strongly objected to by the
ladies," proceeded the old gentleman. "But if nothing less will satisfy
you, I say, Yes! I shall have occasion, when we meet to-morrow at
Muswell Hill, to appeal to your indulgence under circumstances which may
greatly astonish you. The least I can do, in the meantime, is to set an
example of friendly sympathy and forbearance on my side. No more now,
Richard. Hush! the music!"

It was impossible to make him explain himself further that night.
Turlington was left to interpret Sir Joseph's mysterious communication
with such doubtful aid to success as his own unassisted ingenuity might
afford.

The meeting of the next day at Muswell Hill had for its object--as
Turlington ha