she was as yet free, the field was
still open to his candidate. He believed thoroughly that had not his
wife interfered, and asked the bootmaker to join that unfortunate
dinner party, his daughter and Ralph Newton would now have been
engaged together. And probably it might have been so. When first it
had been whispered to Polly that that handsome and very agreeable
young gentleman, Mr. Ralph Newton, might become a suitor for her
hand, she had chucked up her head and declared to her mother that she
didn't intend to take a husband of her father's choosing; but as she
came to know Ralph a little, she did find that he was good-looking
and agreeable,--and her heart did flutter at the idea of becoming
the wife of a real, undoubted gentleman. She meant to have her grand
passion, and she must be quite sure that Mr. Newton loved her. But
she didn't see any reason why Mr. Newton shouldn't love her, and,
upon the whole, she was inclined to obey her father rather than to
disobey him. And it might still be that he should win her;--for he
had done nothing to disgrace himself in her sight. But there did lurk
within her bosom some dim idea that he should have bestirred himself
more thoroughly on that Sunday evening, and not have allowed himself
to be driven out of the field by Ontario Moggs. She wronged him
there, as indeed he had had no alternative, unless he had followed
her up to her bedroom.

Mr. Neefit, when he found that no harm had as yet been done, resolved
that he would return to the charge. It has been before observed that
he lacked something in delicacy, but what he did so lack he made up
in persistency. He had been unable to impute any blame to Ralph as to
that evening. He felt that he rather owed an apology to his favourite
candidate. He would make the apology, and inform the favourite
candidate, at the same time, that the course was still open to him.
With these views he left Conduit Street early on the Wednesday
morning, and called on Ralph at his rooms. "Mr. Newton," he said,
hastening at once upon the grand subject, "I hope you didn't think as
I was to blame in having Moggs at our little dinner on Sunday." Ralph
declared that he had never thought of imputing blame to any one. "But
it was,--as awk'ard as awk'ard could be. It was my wife's doing. Of
course you can see how it all is. That chap has been hankering after
Polly ever since she was in her teens. But, Lord love you, Captain,
he ain't a chance with her. He was