pproval, and,
though he might not have much influence directly, he could in all
probability secure a potent ally in the person of Letty Tew. This was
rather a brilliant idea; Mrs. Waltham waited impatiently for her son's
return from Belwick on Saturday.

She broached the subject to him with much delicacy.

'I am so convinced, Alfred, that it would be for your sister's
happiness. There really is no harm whatever in aiding her inexperience;
that is all that I wish to do. I'm sure you understand me?'

'I understand well enough,' returned the young man; 'but if you
convince Adela against her will you'll do a clever thing. You've been
so remarkably successful in closing her mind against all arguments of
reason--'

'Now, Alfred, do not begin and talk in that way! It has nothing whatever
to do with the matter. This is entirely a personal question.'

'Nothing of the kind. It's a question of religious prejudice. She hates
Mutimer because he doesn't go to church, there's the long and short of
it.'

'Adela very properly condemns his views, but that's quite a different
thing from hating him.'

'Oh dear, no; they're one and the same thing. Look at the history of
persecution. She would like to see him--and me too, I dare say--brought
to the stake.'

'Well, well, of course if you won't talk sensibly I had something to
propose.'

'Let me hear it, then.'

'You yourself agree with me that there would be nothing to repent in
urging her.'

'On the contrary, I think she might consider herself precious lucky.
It's only that'--he looked dubious for a moment--'I'm not quite sure
whether she's the kind of girl to be content with a husband she found
she couldn't convert. I can imagine her marrying a rake on the hope of
bringing him to regular churchgoing, but then Mutimer doesn't happen to
be a blackguard, so he isn't very interesting to her.'

'I know what you're thinking of, but I don't think we need take that
into account. And, indeed, we can't afford to take anything into account
but her establishment in a respectable and happy home. Our choice, as
you are aware, is not a wide one. I am often deeply anxious about the
poor girl.'

'I dare say. Well, what was your proposal?'

'Do you think Letty could help us?'

'H'm, can't say. Might or might not. She's as bad as Adela. Ten to one
it'll be a point of conscience with her to fight the project tooth and
nail.'

'I don't think so. She has accepted you.'

'So she has, to m