my consent?"

Jane hesitated a little, and then answered: "What is the use of talking
of such a thing, father, as I have never seen anybody to whom I wish to
become engaged? But, if you like, I will promise you that if I should
chance to see any one and you don't approve of him, I will not become
engaged to him for three years, by the end of which time he would
probably cease to wish to become engaged to me. But," she added with a
laugh, "I am almost certain he wouldn't be a duke or a lord, or anything
of that sort, for, provided a man is a gentleman, I don't care twopence
about his having a title."

"Jane, don't talk so foolishly," I answered.

"Well, father," she said astonished, "if those are my opinions at
least I got them from you, for I was always brought up upon strictly
democratic principles. How often have I heard you declare in your
lectures down at Dunchester that men of our race are all equal--except
the working-man, who is better than the others--and that but for social
prejudice the 'son of toil' is worthy of the hand of any titled lady in
the kingdom?"

"I haven't delivered that lecture for years," I answered angrily.

"No, father, not since--let me see, not since old Mrs. Strong left you
all her money, and you were made an Under-Secretary of State, and lords
and ladies began to call on us. Now, I shouldn't have said that, because
it makes you angry, but it is true, though, isn't it?" and she was gone.

That August when the House rose we went down to a place that I owned on
the outskirts of Dunchester. It was a charming old house, situated in
the midst of a considerable estate that is famous for its shooting. This
property had come to me as part of Mrs. Strong's bequest, or, rather,
she held a heavy mortgage on it, and when it was put up for sale I
bought it in. As Jane had taken a fancy to the house, which was large
and roomy, with beautiful gardens, I let my old home in the city, and
when we were not in town we came to live at Ashfields.

On the borders of the Ashfields estate--indeed, part of the land upon
which it was built belongs to it--lies a poor suburb of Dunchester
occupied by workmen and their families. In these people Jane took great
interest; indeed, she plagued me till at very large expense I built a
number of model cottages for them, with electricity, gas and water
laid on, and bicycle-houses attached. In fact, this proved a futile
proceeding, for the only result was that the fo