ur
descendants, like our family diamonds and plate."

Anne and Sophy looked at each other and smiled, the one sadly, the other
satirically. The Dorset family jewels were rose-diamonds of small value,
and the plate was but moderate in quantity, and not very great in
quality. Poor Sir Robert liked to blow his little trumpet too, but it
was not so blatant as that of his visitor, whose rude senses did not
even see the intended malice.

"By George! I think I will," he said. "I'm told it's as safe as the
bank, and worth more and more every year, and if it don't bring in
anything, it don't eat anything; eh, May? Look here; perhaps I was
hasty the other day," he said, pushing the clergyman a little apart from
the group with a large hand on his shoulder. "Clarence tells me you're
the best coach he ever saw, and that he's getting on like a house on
fire."

"He does make progress, I think," answered the tutor, thus gracefully
complimented.

"But all the same, you know, I had a right to be annoyed. Now a man of
your sense--for you seem a man of sense, though you're a parson, and
know what side your bread's buttered on--ought to see that it's an
aggravating thing when a young fellow has been sent to a coach for his
instruction, and to keep him out of harm's way, to find him cheek by
jowl with a nice-looking young woman. That's not what a father has a
right to expect."

"You couldn't expect me to do away with my daughter because I happened
to take a pupil?" said Mr. May, half-amused; "but I can assure you that
she has no designs upon your son."

"So I hear, so I hear," said the other, with a mixture of pique and
satisfaction. "Won't look at him, Clar tells me; got her eye on some one
else, little fool! She'll never have such a chance again. As for having
no designs, that's bosh, you know; all women have designs. I'm a deal
easier in my mind when I'm told she's got other fish to fry."

"Other fish to fry?" said Mr. May; this time he was wholly amused, and
laughed. "This is news to me. However, we don't want to discuss my
little Ursula; about your son it will be well that I should know, for I
might be forming other engagements. This moment is a time of pecuniary
pressure with me," he added, with the ingratiating smile and
half-pathetic frankness of the would-be borrower. "I have not taken
pupils before, but I want money for the time. My son's settlement in
life, you see, and--but the father of a large family can always find
g