as a husband. He only
laughs at me, and says, 'Wait a little, and you will alter your opinion,
my dear.' You see Richard is everything to him; Richard has always
managed his affairs, and has saved him from losing by bad speculations;
Richard has known me from the time when I was a child; Richard has a
splendid business, and quantities of money. Papa can't even imagine that
I can resist Richard. I have tried my aunt; I have told her he is too
old for me. All she says is, 'Look at your father; he was much older
than your mother, and what a happy marriage theirs was.' Even if I said
in so many words, 'I won't marry Richard,' what good would it do to us?
Papa is the best and dearest old man in the world; but oh, he is so fond
of money! He believes in nothing else. He would be furious--yes, kind as
he is, he would be furious--if I even hinted that I was fond of _you_.
Any man who proposed to marry me--if he couldn't match the fortune that
I should bring him by a fortune of his own--would be a lunatic in papa's
eyes. He wouldn't think it necessary to answer him; he would ring the
bell, and have him shown out of the house. I am exaggerating nothing,
Launce; you know I am speaking the truth. There is no hope in the
future--that I can see--for either of us.

"Have you done, Natalie? I have something to say on my side if you
have."

"What is it?"

"If things go on as they are going on now, shall I tell you how it will
end? It will end in your being Turlington's wife."

"Never!"

"So you say now; but you don't know what may happen between this and
Christmas-day. Natalie, there is only one way of making sure that you
will never marry Richard. Marry _me_."

"Without papa's consent?"

"Without saying a word to anybody till it's done."

"Oh, Launce! Launce!"

"My darling, every word you have said proves there is no other way.
Think of it, Natalie, think of it."

There was a pause. Natalie dropped her needle and thread, and hid her
face in her hands. "If my poor mother was only alive," she said; "if I
only had an elder sister to advise me, and to take my part."

She was evidently hesitating. Launce took a man's advantage of her
indecision. He pressed her without mercy.

"Do you love me?" he whispered, with his lips close to her ear.

"You know I do, dearly."

"Put it out of Richard's power to part us, Natalie."

"Part us? We are cousins: we have known each other since we were both
children. Even if he proposed part