moment! Miss Driver, you say,
was pleased?"

"Yes--oh, more than that! But for her I don't believe I could have done
it. Still it's my own job--and I'm ready to face it. These things must
be meant to come, Austin."

I glanced at the clock. He laughed reluctantly and nervously. "Give a
fellow five minutes more!" he said.

"With pleasure. Spend it in thinking not of yourself, nor even of your
father--but of Margaret."

"Yes, that's right," he said eagerly. "That's the thing to think about.
That'll carry me through." He gave another unwilling laugh. "If he'd
only be violent, or kick me out, or something of that sort--like the
silly old fools in the plays! Not he! He'll behave perfectly, be very
calm and very quiet--particularly civil about Margaret herself! He'll
tell me I must judge for myself--just as he did about coming to
Breysgate. And all the while he'll be breaking his heart." He smiled at
me ruefully. "Aunt Sarah'll do the cursing--but who cares for that?"

"A good many people besides Lady Sarah will have a word to say, no
doubt."

"I don't care a damn for the lot of them--except my father," he
said--and I was glad to hear him say it. It expressed--vigorously--my
own feelings in the matter. "And don't you think I'm the happiest man on
earth?" he added a moment later.

"Earth's not heaven. Try to let Lord Fillingford see what you've shown
me."

"What do you mean, Austin?"

"You don't mind my saying it? It's another of those things that one
generally doesn't care to talk about. Try to show him that you love her
very much, and that next in order--and not quite out of sight
either--comes your father. Don't treat it casually--as if you were
telling him you were going to dine out--though I daresay that's the
etiquette. Try the open heart against the hidden one. You appreciate his
case. Show him you do. That's my advice."

"It's good advice. I'll try." He came to me holding out his hand. "And
wish me good luck!"

"You've had as fine a slice of luck to-day as happens to most men.
Here's to another!"

He wrung my hand hard. "I've made an ass of myself, I suppose!" That was
homage to the etiquette. "I'll remember what you've said. He has a case,
by Jove, and a strong one!" He smiled again. "Somehow Margaret's case
won, though," he ended.

He went his way--a straight lad and a simple gentleman. He had no idea
that any schemes had been afoot, that any wires had been pulled, either
for him or against his fat