s what love is surely--even if she
don't. You must be dreaming, woman."

"No," she answered. "You don't dream much at forty years old. He thinks to
hide it--my John does--so to call him. But I see it very plain indeed. He
knows what amazing gifts his daughter have got, and he knows she's vital
to Wych Elm; but he don't know what gifts I have got to put against 'em,
and so I do believe that deep out of sight he's weighing her parts against
mine."

"That ain't love, however," vowed Martin.

"'Tis one love weighed against another," she told him. "A man over fifty
don't love like a boy."

"The depths of human nature!" cried Mr. Ball. "I never thought that such
things could be. It looks to me, Mrs. Bascombe, as if--However, I'm too
loyal to say it. But you do give one ideas."

"Like father like daughter, I shouldn't wonder," she said thoughtfully.

"Just the same dark fear as was in my mind," he confessed.

He left her then in a mizmaze of deep reflections; but he didn't go until
they'd ordained to meet again. A considerable lot more of each other they
did see afore the fateful month was done, and the more easily they came
together because John Warner began to be very much occupied with Jane at
this season. The fourth week had very near sped and still she remained
firm; while behind the scenes, when he did see her, John found no help
from Nelly Bascombe. In fact he marked that she'd got to grow rather
impatient on the subject and didn't appear to be so interested in her
fate, or yet his, as formerly.

So things came to a climax mighty fast, and while Warner, who didn't know
what it was to be beat where his own comfort was concerned, kept on
remorseless at Jane, she hardened her heart more and more against him and
finally took the plunge and told Martin Ball as she'd wed when he pleased.
He hadn't seen her much for ten days owing to press of business, and when
she made up her mind, 'twas she had to write and bid him go walking with
her. But he agreed at once so to do and came at the appointed evening
hour. And then, afore she had time to speak, he cried out as he'd got a
bit of cheerful news for her.

"And I've got a bit of cheerful news for you," said Jane Warner, though
not in a very cheerful tone of voice. And then, in a dreary sort of way,
she broke her decision.

"Father's going to marry the woman at the shop-of-all-sorts, as you know,"
explained Jane; "and if him, why not me? And, be it as it will, you've
sa