e one
among them she ultimately selected as a really desirable son-in-law
was a Calcutta judge, Sir Abraham Lumley. It was true he was more than
old enough to be the girl's father, and was distinctly liverish. But
this, she felt, was beside the point, since he had accumulated a vast
number of rupees, and would, before long, retire on a snug pension.

Sir Abraham was accordingly sounded. Hardened bachelor as he was, a
single glance at Lola's portrait was enough to send his blood-pressure
up to fever heat. In positive rapture at the idea of such fresh young
loveliness becoming his, he declared himself ready to change his
condition, and discussed handsome settlements.

With everything thus cut and dried, as she considered, Mrs. Craigie
took the next step in her programme. This was to leave India for
England, during the autumn of 1836, and tell Lola of the "good news"
in store for her. She was then to bring her back to Calcutta and the
expectant arms of Sir Abraham.

Honest Captain Craigie looked a little dubious when he was consulted.

"Perhaps she won't care about him," he suggested.

"Fiddlesticks!" retorted his wife. "Any girl would jump at the chance
of being Lady Lumley. Think of the position."

"I'm thinking of Lola," he said.

CHAPTER II

"MARRIED IN HASTE"

I

Among the passengers accompanying Mrs. Craigie on the long voyage to
Southampton was a Lieutenant Thomas James, a debonair young officer of
the Bengal Infantry, who made himself very agreeable to her and with
whom he exchanged many confidences. He was going home on a year's sick
leave; and at the suggestion of his ship-board acquaintance he decided
to spend the first month of it in Bath.

"It's time I settled down," he said. "Who knows, but I might pick up a
wife in Bath and take her back to India with me."

"Who knows," agreed Mrs. Craigie, her match-making instincts aroused.
"Bath is full of pretty girls."

The meeting between mother and daughter developed very differently
from the lines on which she had planned it. Contrary to what she had
expected, Lola did not evince any marked readiness to fall in with
them. Quite undazzled by the prospects of becoming Lady Lumley, and
reclining on Sir Abraham's elderly bosom, she even went so far as to
dub the learned judge a "gouty old rascal," and declared that nothing
would induce her to marry him. Neither reproaches nor arguments had
any effect. Nor would she exhibit the smallest interest i