y amazement. Women are monstrously illogical. She must
think of my latter end with mixed feelings.'

'I do wish you were less flippant in dealing with grave subjects,
Alfred. I assure you I am very much troubled. I feel that so much is at
stake, and yet the responsibility of doing anything is so very great.'

'Shall I talk it over with Letty?'

'If you feel able to. But Adela would be very seriously offended if she
guessed that you had done so.'

'Then she mustn't guess, that's all. I'll see what I can do to-night.'

In the home of the Tews there was some difficulty in securing privacy.
The house was a small one, and the sacrifice of general convenience
when Letty wanted a whole room for herself and Alfred was considerable.
To-night it was managed, however; the front parlour was granted to the
pair for one hour.

It could not be said that there was much delicacy in Alfred's way of
approaching the subject he wished to speak of. This young man had a
scorn of periphrases. If a topic had to be handled, why not be succinct
in the handling? Alfred was of opinion that much time was lost by
mortals in windy talk.

'Look here, Letty; what's your idea about Adela marrying Mutimer?'

The girl looked startled.

'She has not accepted him?'

'Not yet. Don't you think it would be a good thing if she did?'

'I really can't say,' Letty replied very gravely, her head aside. 'I
don't think any one can judge but Adela herself. Really, Alfred, I don't
think we ought to interfere.'

'But suppose I ask you to try and get her to see the affair sensibly?'

'Sensibly? What a word to use!'

'The right word, I think.'

'What a vexatious boy you are! You don't really think so at all. You
only speak so because you like to tease me.'

'Well, you certainly do look pretty when you're defending the castles in
the air. Give me a kiss.'

'Indeed, I shall not. Tell me seriously what you mean. What does Mrs.
Waltham think about it?'

'Give me a kiss, and I'll tell you. If not, I'll go away and leave you
to find out everything as best you can.'

'Oh, Alfred, you're a sad tyrant!'

'Of course I am. But it's a benevolent despotism. Well, mother wants
Adela to accept him. In fact, she asked me if I didn't think you'd help
us. Of course I said you would.'

'Then you were very hasty. I'm not joking now, Alfred. I think of Adela
in a way you very likely can't understand. It would be shocking, oh!
shocking, to try and make her marry him i