f spending the entire
afternoon with his betrothed. He was, as has been said, although a
clever, yet certainly at present a briefless young barrister.
Nevertheless, had twenty briefs awaited his immediate attention, he
could not have more rapidly hurried back as he now did. When he entered
his rooms he locked the outer door. Then he threw himself on a chair,
drew the chair to his writing table, pushed his hands through his thick
hair, and staring hard at a blank sheet of paper which lay before him
began to think out a problem. His might scarcely have been called a
passionate nature, but it was one capable of a very deep, very real
attachment. This attachment had been formed for Charlotte Harman. Their
engagement had already lasted nearly a year, and now with her own lips
she had told him that it might end, that the end, the one happy end to
all engagements, was in sight. With comfort, nay, with affluence, with
the full consent of all her friends, they might become man and wife.
John Hinton most undoubtedly loved this woman, and yet now as he
reviewed the whole position the one pleasure he could deduct for his own
reflection was in the fact that there was four months' reprieve.
Charlotte had herself postponed their wedding-day for four months.

Hinton was a proud man. When, a year ago, he had gone to Mr. Harman and
asked him for his daughter, Mr. Harman had responded with the very
natural question, "What means have you to support her with?"

Hinton had answered that he had two hundred a year--and--his profession.

"What are you making in your profession?" asked the father.

"Not anything--yet," answered the young man.

There was a tone of defiance and withal of hope thrown into that "yet"
which might have repelled some men, but pleased Mr. Harman. He paused to
consider. He might have got a much, much better match for Charlotte from
a temporal standpoint. Hinton was of no family in particular; he had no
money worthy of the name. He was simply an honest fellow, fairly
good-looking, and with the heart of a gentleman.

"You are doubtless aware," replied Mr. Harman, "that my daughter will
inherit a very large fortune. She has been sought for in marriage before
now, and by men who could give something to meet what she brings, both
with regard to money and position."

"I have heard of Mr. S.'s proposal," answered Hinton. "I know he is
rich, and the son of Lord ----; but that is nothing, for she does not
love him."

"An