genuine surprise in any woman's face,
it was in Lady Thesiger's this evening.

"You have asked Agatha to marry you!" she repeated, looking half
bewildered; "and pray, Sir Edgar, what did the child say?"

"She promised to marry me," I replied, more boldly; "that is, of course,
if Sir John and you, Lady Thesiger, have no objection."

"I am afraid that you have not taken that much into consideration. Asked
the child to marry you! Why, Sir Edgar, how long have you been in love
with her?"

"From the very first moment I ever saw her."

"Why," cried her ladyship, "Sir John told me you were in love, and had
promised to confide in him."

Remembering what I had said to him, I explained to her that in speaking
as I had done I referred entirely to Agatha.

"It is so utterly unexpected," she said, "that you must pardon my
strange reception of your intelligence."

She sat quite silent for some minutes, then continued:

"It seems so strange for you to fall in love with Agatha. The dearest
wish of Sir Barnard's heart was to have her for a daughter-in-law."

A fierce spasm of jealousy almost robbed me of my breath.

"Did she--did she--"

Then I could get no further.

"No, Agatha did not like Miles, if that is what you mean?"

"Did Miles love her?"

"I cannot tell--there was something very mysterious about him. He looked
to me like one who had a secret on his mind. I have often wondered what
it could be. He was not a happy man of late years."

"You have not told me yet, Lady Thesiger, if I have your good wishes."

She held out her hand with a gracious, kindly smile.

"Shall I tell you the truth--no flattery, but just the simple truth? I
would rather Agatha married you than any other man in the nation. She
has not only my full consent, but I am pleased, proud and happy."

"And Sir John, shall I have his consent?"

"There is little doubt of it. I hear him now--he has just arrived, I
suppose. You shall see him at once."

I rode away from Harden Manor that night a happy man. Sir John, like
Lady Thesiger, gave his full, free, unhesitating consent. We had a long,
confidential conversation. He told me how his affairs stood. He was a
wealthy man, but his expenses were great. He told me frankly that he
should not be able to give Agatha a large portion at her marriage, nor
could he leave her anything considerable at his death. Harden Manor,
with its rich revenues, was all entailed on his son.

"So that I am glad, Sir Edg