r the wind can
come between, or blow them away. So just keep on praying, old chap, and
when the time is ripe, they'll be answered, never fear."

"Answered?--Do you mean,--oh Uncle Porges!--do you mean--the Money
Moon?" The small hand upon Bellew's arm, quivered, and his voice
trembled with eagerness.

"Why yes, to be sure,--the Money Moon, my Porges,--it's bound to come,
one of these fine nights."

"Ah!--but when,--oh! when will the Money Moon ever come?"

"Well, I can't be quite sure, but I rather fancy, from the look of
things, my Porges, that it will be pretty soon."

"Oh, I do hope so!--for her sake, an' my sake. You see, she may go
getting herself married to Mr. Cassilis, if something doesn't happen
soon, an' I shouldn't like that, you know."

"Neither should I, my Porges. But what makes you think so?"

"Why he's always bothering her, an' asking her to, you see. She always
says 'No' a course, but--one of these fine days, I'm 'fraid she'll say
'Yes'--accidentally, you know."

"Heaven forbid, nephew!"

"Does that mean you hope not?"

"Indeed yes."

"Then I say heaven forbid, too,--'cause I don't think she'd ever be
happy in Mr. Cassilis's great, big house. An' I shouldn't either."

"Why, of course not!"

"_You_ never go about asking people to marry you, do you Uncle Porges!"

"Well, it could hardly be called a confirmed habit of mine."

"That's one of the things I like about you so,--all the time you've been
here you haven't asked my Auntie Anthea once, have you?"

"No, my Porges,--not yet."

"Oh!--but you don't mean that you--ever will?"

"Would you be very grieved, and angry, if I did,--some day soon, my
Porges?"

"Well, I--I didn't think you were that kind of a man!" answered Small
Porges, sighing and shaking his head regretfully.

"I'm afraid I am, nephew."

"Do you really mean that you want to--marry my Auntie Anthea?"

"I do."

"As much as Mr. Cassilis does?"

"A great deal more, I think."

Small Porges sighed again, and shook his head very gravely indeed:

"Uncle Porges," said he, "I'm--s'prised at you!"

"I rather feared you would be, nephew."

"It's all so awful' silly, you know!--why do you want to marry her?"

"Because, like a Prince in a fairy tale, I'm--er--rather anxious
to--live happy ever after."

"Oh!" said Small Porges, turning this over in his mind, "I never thought
of that."

"Marriage is a very important institution, you see, my
Porges,--especially in thi