er. "Not that I ask you or wish you to do so. Mary, thank God, can
do without wealth."

"Thorne, on one condition I will put her name into it. I will alter
it all on one condition. Let the two cousins be man and wife--let
Louis marry poor Mary's child."

The proposition for a moment took away the doctor's breath, and he
was unable to answer. Not for all the wealth of India would he have
given up his lamb to that young wolf, even though he had had the
power to do so. But that lamb--lamb though she was--had, as he well
knew, a will of her own on such a matter. What alliance could be more
impossible, thought he to himself, than one between Mary Thorne and
Louis Scatcherd?

"I will alter it all if you will give me your hand upon it that you
will do your best to bring about this marriage. Everything shall be
his on the day he marries her; and should he die unmarried, it shall
all then be hers by name. Say the word, Thorne, and she shall come
here at once. I shall yet have time to see her."

But Dr Thorne did not say the word; just at the moment he said
nothing, but he slowly shook his head.

"Why not, Thorne?"

"My friend, it is impossible."

"Why impossible?"

"Her hand is not mine to dispose of, nor is her heart."

"Then let her come over herself."

"What! Scatcherd, that the son might make love to her while the
father is so dangerously ill! Bid her come to look for a rich
husband! That would not be seemly, would it?"

"No; not for that: let her come merely that I may see her; that we
may all know her. I will leave the matter then in your hands if you
will promise me to do your best."

"But, my friend, in this matter I cannot do my best. I can do
nothing. And, indeed, I may say at once, that it is altogether out of
the question. I know--"

"What do you know?" said the baronet, turning on him almost angrily.
"What can you know to make you say that it is impossible? Is she a
pearl of such price that a man may not win her?"

"She is a pearl of great price."

"Believe me, doctor, money goes far in winning such pearls."

"Perhaps so; I know little about it. But this I do know, that money
will not win her. Let us talk of something else; believe me it is
useless for us to think of this."

"Yes; if you set your face against it obstinately. You must think
very poorly of Louis if you suppose that no girl can fancy him."

"I have not said so, Scatcherd."

"To have the spending of ten thousand a year, and be