ns from his grand-uncle.
These are his resources. If his father chooses, he can cut off his
allowance. Perhaps he will. You can mention these facts to Mr. Newt."

"Oh! mercy! mercy!" exclaimed Mrs. Newt. "What shall we do? What will
people say?"

"Good-morning, ladies!" said Mrs. Dinks, with a comprehensive bow. She
was troubled, but not overwhelmed; for she believed that the rich Mr.
Newt would not, of course, allow his daughter to suffer. Mrs. Dagon was
more profoundly persuaded than ever that Mrs. Dinks had managed the whole
matter.

"Nancy," said she, as the door closed upon Mrs. Dinks, "it is a scheming,
artful woman. Her son has no money, and I doubt if he ever will have any.
Boniface will be implacable. I know him. He is capable of seeing his
daughter suffer. Fanny has made a frightful mistake. Poor Fanny! she was
not so clever as she thought herself. There is only one hope--that is in
old Burt. I think we had better present that view chiefly to Boniface. We
must concede the poverty, but insist and enlarge upon the prospect. No
Newt ought to be allowed to suffer if we can help it. Poor Fanny! She was
always pert, but not quite so smart as she thought herself!"

Mrs. Dagon indulged in a low chuckle of triumph, while Mrs. Newt was
overwhelmed with a vague apprehension that all her husband's wrath at
his daughter's marriage would be visited upon her.

CHAPTER XL.

AT THE ROUND TABLE.

Mrs. Dinks had informed Hope that she was going home. That lady was
satisfied, by her conversation with Mrs. Newt, that it would be useless
for her to see Mr. Newt--that it was one of the cases in which facts and
events plead much more persuasively than words. She was sure the rich
merchant would not allow his daughter to suffer. Fathers do so in novels,
thought she. Of course they do, for it is necessary to the interest of
the story. And old Van Boozenberg does in life, thought she. Of course he
does. But he is an illiterate, vulgar, hard old brute. Mr. Newt is of
another kind. She had herself read his name as director of at least seven
different associations for doing good to men and women.

But Mrs. Dinks still delayed her departure. She knew that there was no
reason for her staying, but she staid. She loved her son dearly. She was
unwilling to leave him while his future was so dismally uncertain; and
every week she informed Hope that she was on the point of going.

Hope Wayne was not sorry to remain. Perhaps she a