dy Grace's eyes, do you think I
would have given up? She has led me a sorry chase, that pretty sister of
yours."

"Her beauty would not have taken you ten steps out of your way, if she
had not been such an heiress," retorted Bulchester.

"Don't be so blunt, my friend. Is it my fault that I am obliged to look
out for money? If a man has only a tenth of the income he needs to live
upon, what is he going to do? It is well enough for you to be above
sordidness, so could I be with your purse and your prospects. Besides,
you know that I told you frankly I found Lady Grace charming. I wonder,"
he asked turning sharply round, "if you have been playing me false?"

But Bulchester laughed. A laugh at such a time, and a laugh so full of
simplicity and amusement brought the other to his bearings again.

"You know I favored the match," added the nobleman. "Hang it! I don't
see why my sister could not have had my taste. She does not know all
your deviltries as I do, but yet I think you the most fascinating fellow
in England."

"Perhaps that is the reason, because she does not know," laughed
Edmonson. "But, then, you have not been very far beyond England, except
to the land of the frog, and nobody expects to delight in the messieurs
anywhere but on the point of the bayonet, as we had them lately at
Dettengen." In a moment, however, he added gravely, "I am afraid my suit
to your sister has damaged my prospects in another quarter, at least the
matrimonial part of them, and I can hardly expect to be so successful
otherwise as to enable me to marry a lady whose face is her fortune."

"Hardly, with your tastes," said Bulchester. "But, for my part, I am
glad that I can afford to be sentimental if I like. For that very reason
I shall probably be extremely sensible."

Edmonson smiled, half in amusement, half in contempt.

"Suppose the lady should be so too?" he asked slyly; then added, "I hope
she will, Bulchester, and take you. I don't know her name yet."

"Nor I. But I don't want to consider only the rent-roll of the future
Lady Bulchester."

"My lord, I shall be devotion itself to Mistress Edmonson, and I assure
you that the young lady I have chosen, I having failed to win your
adorable sister, is not a nonentity, though I cannot say that she is
charming. But you will see her. Her father was very gracious to me when
I was in Boston last winter, and regretted that I was obliged to leave
in the spring on affairs of importance. How