:

"Look here, young fellow, I have no time to listen to jaw about the
Bible and moral and immoral and all that bosh, which you can have out
with your reverend parent afterwards. I am a plain man, I am, and want
a plain answer to a plain question. Do you think that you are going to
marry my daughter, Isobel?"

"Such is my desire and intention," replied Godfrey, with vague
recollections of the baptismal service, though of these at the moment
he was not aware.

"Oh, is it? Then you are jolly well mistaken in your desire and
intention. Let's make things clear. You are a beggarly youngster who
propose to enter the army at some future date, which you may or may not
do. And you have the impudence to wish to marry one of the biggest
heiresses in England against my will."

"And against mine," burst in Mr. Knight, "who consider her a most
pernicious young woman, one who rejects the Christian faith and will
lead you to perdition. That is why, when I chanced to espy you in such
a compromising position, I hastened to inform the lady's father."

"Oh! you did that, did you?" interposed Isobel, contemplating him
steadily. "Well, I am glad to know who could have been so cowardly,"
she added with withering contempt. "Now I begin to wonder whether a
letter which some years ago, I brought to the Abbey House to be
forwarded to Godfrey, was ever posted to him who did not receive it, or
whether, perhaps, it fell into the hands of--someone like you."

"It did," said Mr. Knight. "I read it and have it to this day. In my
discretion as a father I did not consider it desirable that my young
son should receive that letter. What I have witnessed this afternoon
shows me how right was my judgment."

"Thank you so much," said Isobel. "That takes a great weight off my
mind. Godfrey, my dear, I apologise to you for my doubts. The truth did
occur to me, but I thought it impossible that a clergyman," here she
looked again at Mr. Knight, "could be a thief also who did not dare to
own to his theft."

"Never mind all that," went on Sir John in his heavy, masterful voice.
"It stands like this. You," and he pointed a fat finger at Godfrey,
"are--well, I'll tell you what you are--you're just a cunning young
fortune-hunter. You found out that this property and a good bit besides
are coming to Isobel, and you want to collar the sag, like you did that
of the old woman out in Lucerne. Well, you don't do it, my boy. I've
other views for Isobel. Do you thin