a
wife on nothing?"

"That is a small matter," she answered. "You need not worry about it in
the least. And you know in your heart, my dear, you need not. I have had
plenty of time to think over this, and I have thought over it. And I am
very ready and willing to come between you and any temporal trouble of
that sort. As to Daniel, when he hears that you are going to marry and
always meant to do so, it must entirely change his view of the
situation. He is just and reasonable. None can deny that."

"You needn't build on Daniel, however. I'd rather break stones than go
back to the Mill after what he said to me."

"Leave him, then. Leave him out of your calculation and come to me. As I
tell you, I've thought about it a great deal, and first I think Sabina
is well suited to be a good wife to you. With time and application she
will become a woman that any man might be proud to marry. I say that
without prejudice, because I honestly think it. She is adaptable, and, I
believe, would very quickly develop into a woman in every way worthy of
your real self. And I am prepared to give you five hundred a year,
Raymond. After all, why not? All that I have is yours and your
brother's, some day. And since you need it now, you shall have it now."

At another time he had been moved by this generosity; to-night, knowing
what it embraced, he was not so grateful as he might have been. His
instinct was to protest that he would not marry Sabina; but shame
prevented him from speaking, since he could advance no decent reason for
such a change of mind. He felt vaguely, dimly at the bottom of his soul
that, despite events, he ought not to marry her. He believed, apart from
his own intense aversion from so doing now, that marriage with him would
not in the long run conduce to Sabina's happiness. But where were the
words capable of lending any conviction to such a sentiment? Certainly
he could think of none that would change his aunt's opinion.

Sullenly he accepted her view with outward acknowledgment and inward
resentment. Then she said a thing that nearly made him rebel, since it
struck at his pride, indicated that Miss Ironsyde was sure of her
ground, showed that she had assumed the outcome of their meeting before
the event.

First, however, he thanked her.

"Of course, it is amazingly good and kind. I don't like to accept it.
But I suppose it would hurt you more if I didn't than if I do. It's a
condition naturally that I marry Sabina-