time Lopez came to see him daily, and daily Emily Wharton had to take
herself out of the man's way, and hide herself from the man's sight.
This she did with much tact and with lady-like quietness, but not
without an air of martyrdom, which cut her father to the quick. "My
dear," he said to her one evening, as she was preparing to leave the
drawing-room on hearing his knock, "stop and see him if you like it."

"Papa!"

"I don't want to make you wretched. If I could have died first, and
got out of the way, perhaps it would have been better."

"Papa, you will kill me if you speak in that way! If there is
anything to say to him, do you say it." And then she escaped.

Well! It was an added bitterness, but no doubt it was his duty. If he
did intend to consent to the marriage, it certainly was for him to
signify that consent to the man. It would not be sufficient that he
should get out of the way and leave his girl to act for herself as
though she had no friend in the world. The surrender which he had
made to his daughter had come from a sudden impulse at the moment,
but it could not now be withdrawn. So he stood out on the staircase,
and when Lopez came up on his way to Everett's bedroom, he took
him by the arm and led him into the drawing-room. "Mr. Lopez," he
said, "you know that I have not been willing to welcome you into
my house as a son-in-law. There are reasons on my mind,--perhaps
prejudices,--which are strong against it. They are as strong now
as ever. But she wishes it, and I have the utmost reliance on her
constancy."

"So have I," said Lopez.

"Stop a moment, if you please, sir. In such a position a father's
thought is only as to his daughter's happiness and prosperity. It is
not his own that he should consider. I hear you well spoken of in
the outer world, and I do not know that I have a right to demand
of my daughter that she should tear you from her affections,
because--because you are not just such as I would have her husband to
be. You have my permission to see her." Then, before Lopez could say
a word, he left the room, and took his hat and hurried away to his
club.

As he went he was aware that he had made no terms at all;--but then
he was inclined to think that no terms should be made. There seemed
to be a general understanding that Lopez was doing well in the
world,--in a profession of the working of which Mr. Wharton
himself knew absolutely nothing. He had a large fortune at his
own bestowal,--