u supposed I was going to marry some one about whom I
couldn't confess the truth.'

'Of course I did. Now come; tell me how you got to know her.'

The man moved uneasily, but in the end related the whole story. Mrs.
Luke kept nodding, with an amused air.

'Yes, yes; she managed it capitally. Clever little witch. Fetching eyes
she has.'

'If you sent for me to make insulting remarks--'

'Bosh! I'll come to the wedding gaily. But you're a silly fellow. Now,
why didn't you come and ask me to find you a wife? Why, I know two or
three girls of really good family who would have jumped, simply jumped,
at a man with your money. Pretty girls too. But you always were so
horribly unpractical. Don't you know, my dear boy, that there are heaps
of ladies, real ladies, waiting the first decent man who offers them
five or six hundred a year? Why haven't you used the opportunities that
you knew I could put in your way?'

Widdowson rose from his seat and stood stiffly.

'I see you don't understand me in the least. I am going to marry
because, for the first time in my life, I have met the woman whom I can
respect and love.'

'That's very nice and proper. But why shouldn't you respect and love a
girl who belongs to good society?'

'Miss Madden is a lady,' he replied indignantly.

'Oh--yes--to be sure,' hummed the other, letting her head roll back.
'Well, bring her here some day when we can lunch quietly together. I
see it's no use. You're not a sharp man, Edmund.'

'Do you seriously tell me,' asked Widdowson, with grave curiosity,
'that there are ladies in good society who would have married me just
because I have a few hundreds a year?'

'My dear boy, I would get together a round dozen in two or three days.
Girls who would make good, faithful wives, in mere gratitude to the man
who saved them from--horrors.'

'Excuse me if I say that I don't believe it.'

Mrs. Luke laughed merrily, and the conversation went on ill this strain
for another ten minutes. At the end, Mrs. Luke made herself very
agreeable, praised Monica for her sweet face and gentle manners, and so
dismissed the solemn man with a renewed promise to countenance the
marriage by her gracious presence.

When Rhoda Nunn returned from her holiday it wanted but a week to
Monica's wedding, so speedily had everything been determined and
arranged. Miss Barfoot, having learnt from Virginia all that was to be
known concerning Mr. Widdowson, felt able to hope for the bes