ey? Is he obliged to
mention that he is related to her by marriage, when he buys the
license?" She paused; her humor changed; she stamped furiously on the
floor. The true motive that animated her showed itself in her next
words, and warned Mr. Rayburn to grant a more favorable hearing than he
had accorded to her yet. "If you won't stop it," she burst out, "I will!
If he marries anybody, he is bound to marry ME. Will you take her away?
I ask you, for the last time--_will_ you take her away?"

The tone in which she made that final appeal to him had its effect.

"I will go back with you to John Zant's house," he said, "and judge for
myself."

She laid her hand on his arm:

"I must go first--or you may not be let in. Follow me in five minutes;
and don't knock at the street door."

On the point of leaving him, she abruptly returned.

"We have forgotten something," she said. "Suppose my master refuses to
see you. His temper might get the better of him; he might make it so
unpleasant for you that you would be obliged to go."

"_My_ temper might get the better of _me_," Mr. Rayburn replied;
"and--if I thought it was in Mrs. Zant's interests--I might refuse to
leave the house unless she accompanied me."

"That will never do, sir."

"Why not?"

"Because I should be the person to suffer."

"In what way?"

"In this way. If you picked a quarrel with my master, I should be blamed
for it because I showed you upstairs. Besides, think of the lady. You
might frighten her out of her senses, if it came to a struggle between
you two men."

The language was exaggerated; but there was a force in this last
objection which Mr. Rayburn was obliged to acknowledge.

"And, after all," the housekeeper continued, "he has more right over her
than you have. He is related to her, and you are only her friend."

Mr. Rayburn declined to let himself be influenced by this consideration,
"Mr. John Zant is only related to her by marriage," he said. "If she
prefers trusting in me--come what may of it, I will be worthy of her
confidence."

The housekeeper shook her head.

"That only means another quarrel," she answered. "The wise way, with
a man like my master, is the peaceable way. We must manage to deceive
him."

"I don't like deceit."

"In that case, sir, I'll wish you good-by. We will leave Mrs. Zant to do
the best she can for herself."

Mr. Rayburn was unreasonable. He positively refused to adopt this
alternative.

"Will you he