content with my share of the bargain."

"Well, there is one thing, Millicent; all who knew us down at Reigate
will say that it is a very sensible arrangement, and will be glad to
know that I shall retain the estate they have hitherto considered to be
mine. Well, then, you agree to my mentioning to my intimate friends that
you are my cousin, and that we are engaged?"

"Yes, I suppose it is the best thing, Mark, and, as you say, I must
marry under my proper name, and it is just as well to get the talk
over down at Reigate now, as for it all to come as a wonder when we are
married."

"When is that going to be, Millicent?"

"Oh, I don't know; of course it will be a long time before we even think
of that."

"I beg your pardon, I am thinking of it now, and I can see no reason
whatever why it should be delayed. We know each other well enough, I
should think, and there is no probability of our changing our minds on
discovering all sorts of faults, that we never dreamt, in each other.
I may be away for a fortnight, and I would suggest that you had better
make your preparations at once, so that we can be married a fortnight
after I come back."

"You say that there is no fear of our discovering faults in each other.
I can assure you that I have just discovered a very serious fault,
namely, that you are altogether too masterful, too bent upon having your
own way. I know you always were so when you were a boy, but I hoped
you had grown out of it; now I see that I was altogether mistaken.
Seriously, Mark, your proposal is absurd."

"Where does the absurdity come in, Millicent?"

"Well, everywhere," she said gravely.

"Which in the present case means nowhere," he said. "Do you mean to tell
me, Millicent, that in this town there are not a hundred dressmakers,
each of whom could turn you out a wedding dress and as many other
garments as you can possibly require in the course of a month, or even
if that effort were too stupendous, that you could not divide the work
among a dozen of them?"

"Well, I don't say that could not be done," Millicent admitted
reluctantly.

"Well, what other objection is there?"

"Well, you see, one does not, like to be bustled in such a matter as
this, Mark. One likes to think it all over and to realize it to one's
self."

"Well, dear, you will have a fortnight while I am away to think and to
realize as much as you like. I can see no advantage myself in waiting
a single day longer than there i