ely."

"Indeed," said Mr. Granger, again looking at him with a puzzled air,
"and what may you want to see me about? Not but what I am always at your
service, as you know," he added apologetically.

"This," he answered, suddenly seizing the clergyman by the coat in a way
that made him start.

"What--my coat, do you mean?"

"Don't be so foolish, Mr. Granger. No, about Beatrice."

"Oh. indeed, Mr. Davies. Nothing wrong at the school, I hope? I think
that she does her duties to the satisfaction of the committee, though I
admit that the arithmetic----"

"No! no, no! It is not about the school. I don't wish her to go to the
school any more. I love her, Mr. Granger, I love her dearly, and I want
to marry her."

The old man flushed with pleasure. Was it possible? Did he hear aright?
Owen Davies, the richest man in that part of Wales, wanted to marry
his daughter, who had nothing but her beauty. It must be too good to be
true!

"I am indeed flattered," he said. "It is more than she could expect--not
but what Beatrice is very good-looking and very clever," he added
hastily, fearing lest he was detracting from his daughter's market
value.

"Good-looking--clever; she is an angel," murmured Owen.

"Oh, yes, of course she is," said her father, "that is, if a woman--yes,
of course--and what is more, I think she's very fond of you. I think she
is pining for you. I've though so for a long time."

"Is she?" said Owen anxiously. "Then all I have to say is that she takes
a very curious way of showing it. She won't say a word to me; she puts
me off on every occasion. But it will be all right now--all right now."

"Oh, there, there, Mr. Davies, maids will be maids until they are wives.
We know about all that," said Mr. Granger sententiously.

His would-be son-in-law looked as though he knew very little about it
indeed, although the inference was sufficiently obvious.

"Mr. Granger," he said, seizing his hand, "I want to make Beatrice my
wife--I do indeed."

"Well, I did not suppose otherwise, Mr. Davies."

"If you help me in this I will do whatever you like as to money matters
and that sort of thing, you know. She shall have as fine a settlement
as any woman in Wales. I know that goes a long way with a father, and I
shall raise no difficulties."

"Very right and proper, I am sure," said Mr. Granger, adopting a loftier
tone as he discovered the advantages of his position. "But of course
on such matters I shall take the a