to
care, Archie, for you know that if Mrs. Jasher does not come to dinner,
you will have to go away."

"Why should I?" he inquired sulkily.

"People will talk."

"Let them. I don't care."

"Neither do I, you stupid boy. But my father will care, and if people
talk he will be very angry."

"My dear Lucy," and Archie put his arm round her waist to say this, "I
don't see why you should be afraid of the Professor. He is only your
step-father, and you aren't so very fond of him as to mind what he says.
Besides, we can marry soon, and then he can go hang."

"But I don't want him to go hang," she replied, laughing. "After all,
the Professor has always been kind to me, and as a step-father has
behaved very well, when he could easily have made himself disagreeable.
Another thing is that he can be very bad tempered when he likes, and if
I let people talk about us--which they will do if they get a chance--he
will behave so coldly to me, that I shall have a disagreeable time. As
we can't marry for ever so long, I don't want to be uncomfortable."

"We can marry whenever you like," said Hope unexpectedly.

"What, with your income so unsettled?"

"It is not unsettled."

"Yes, it is. You will help that horrid spendthrift uncle of yours, and
until he and his family are solvent I don't see how we can be sure of
our money."

"We are sure of it now, dearest. Uncle Simon has turned up trumps after
all, and so have his investments."

"What do you mean exactly?"

"I mean that yesterday I received a letter from him saying that he was
now rich, and would pay back all I had lent him. I went up to London
to-day, and had an interview. The result of that is that I am some
thousands to the good, that Uncle Simon is well off for the rest of his
life and will require no more assistance, and that my three hundred a
year is quite clear for ever and ever and ever."

"Then we can marry," cried Miss Kendal with a gasp of delight.

"Whenever you choose--next week if you like."

"In January then--just after Christmas. We'll go on a trip to Italy and
return to take a flat in London. Oh, Archie, I am sorry I thought so
badly of your uncle. He has behaved very well. And what a mercy it is
that he will require no more assistance! You are sure he will not."

"If he does, he won't get it," said Hope candidly. "While I was a
bachelor I could assist him; but when I am married I must look after
myself and my wife." He gave Lucy a hug. "It's all