is suit. A long interview
closed with this decision. If satisfied as to the truth of his
statements--but satisfied she must be--she would send for him next day,
and--and do whatever he asked her.

"That's right, that's all I want;" his face shone with satisfaction. "Of
course you wouldn't have wanted me if you had had Paul--not that Paul is
any shakes now, (and whatever he is, he's not for you," in parenthesis,)
"and--and I'm your man. I'll see you through, Maud; trust me."

"You will make all the arrangements?--that is, if I send for you?"

"Won't I? I had the whole thing in my head when I came here, and I'll
work it out again going home. I'm a bit flustered just now, but you'll
see if I don't do the square thing. We'll be off by the first train for
London town and a registry office--but don't I just wish it was Gretna
Green, and a gallop through the night! I have often thought what a jolly
skidaddle one might have behind four horses to Gretna Green."

"Go, now;" said Maud, authoritatively. "But if I send word to come,
Come."

And the message went, "Come".

* * * * *

Mr. Anthony Boldero and Mr. John Purcell were putting their heads
together in the window of a Pall Mall club. The two gentlemen had a
subject in common to discuss; and as old acquaintances, who had recently
become new neighbours, they had a great deal to say and said it freely.

"A most disgraceful business;" the one bald head wagged, and the other
responded. "'Pon my soul," asserted Mr. Purcell, vivaciously, "it is no
wonder it killed the old lady. She might have hung on long enough, but
for that. Although she was seventy-seven. Seventy-seven. A ripe age,
Boldero."

He was only a little over sixty himself, and had often wondered how long
his step-mother was going to keep him out of the property? It had for
years been a secret grievance that a second wife should have had its
tenancy for life, and made her descendant, a poor creature like Val,
its master in appearance if not in fact. He could not therefore affect
to be inconsolable.

Was it possible that the "disgraceful business" had had anything to do
with General Boldero's demise?--he queried next. Could he have known, or
suspected anything?

Mr. Anthony Boldero thought not. The general had been as cock-a-hoop as
possible over his daughter's engagement; as insufferably patronising and
condescending as over the first affair.

"And _it_ turned out a fiasco, of