usin, she was taking an opportunity of declaring
to Mary Bonner that she did not begrudge the brilliance of Mary's
present prospects,--though the grand estate which made them brilliant
was in a measure taken from her own hopes. And she had owned at the
same time that she did not dare to feel confidence in her own love,
because her lover would now be too poor in his own esteem to indulge
himself with the luxury of a wife. All this Mary had accepted from
her, certainly with no expression of triumph, but certainly with some
triumph in her heart. Now this was entirely changed,--and here was
her lover, with his fortune restored to him, once more beneath her
father's roof! She gave him her hand the first of the three. She
could not repress herself. He took it with a smile, and pressed it
warmly. But he turned to Patience and took hers as rapidly as he was
able. Then came Mary's turn. "I hope you also are glad to see me once
again?" he said. Clarissa's heart sank within her as she heard the
words. The appreciation of a woman in such matters is as fine as the
nose of a hound, and is all but unintelligible to a man. "Oh, yes,
Mr. Newton," said Mary smiling. "But if he asks her, she'll take
him." No such words as these were formed even in Clarissa's mind; but
after some fashion such was the ejaculation of her heart. Mary's "Oh,
yes," had meant little enough, but could Mary withstand such chances
if they were offered to her?

Sir Thomas led the way into his private room, and Ralph followed him.
"You won't be long, papa," said Patience.

"I hope not," said Sir Thomas.

"Remember, Ralph, you will be keeping lunch waiting," said Patience.

Then the two men were alone. Sir Thomas's mind had recurred to Neefit
at the first moment of Ralph's request. The young man was going to
consult him as to the best mode of getting rid of that embarrassment.
But in the hall another idea had come upon him. He was to be asked
for his consent regarding Clarissa. As he seated himself in one chair
and asked Ralph to take another, he had not quite made up his mind
as to the answer he would give. There must at any rate be some delay.
The reader will of course remember that Sir Thomas was persuaded that
Ralph had engaged himself to marry Polly Neefit.

Ralph rushed boldly at his subject at once. "Sir Thomas," he said,
"I am going to make a proposition, and I wish to ask you for your
consent. I have made up my mind that the sooner I marry in my present