has been a little coolness."

"I told your mother that I was willing to forgive you."

"Forgive me what? A fellow does not care to be forgiven when he has done
nothing. But if you'll only say that by-gones shall be by-gones quite
past I'll take it so." He could not give up his position as head of the
family so easily,--an injured head of the family. And yet he was anxious
that by-gones should be by-gones, if only the young man would not be so
jaunty, as he stood there by his arm-chair. "Just say the word, and the
girls shall come up and see you as they used to do." Mr. Prosper thought
at the moment that one of the girls was going to marry Joe Thoroughbung,
and that he would not wish to see her. "As for myself, if I've been in
any way negligent, I can only say that I did not intend it. I do not
like to say more, because it would seem as though I were asking you for
money."

"I don't know why you shouldn't ask me."

"A man doesn't like to do that. But I'd tell you of everything if you'd
only let me."

"What is there to tell?" said Uncle Prosper, knowing well that the
love-story would be communicated to him.

"I've got myself engaged to marry a young woman."

"A young woman!"

"Yes;--she's a young woman, of course; but she's a young lady as well.
You know her name: it is Florence Mountjoy."

"That is the young lady that I've heard of. Was there not some other
gentleman attached to her?"

"There was;--her cousin, Mountjoy Scarborough."

"His father wrote to me."

"His father is the meanest fellow I ever met."

"And he himself came to me,--down here. They were fighting your battle
for you."

"I'm much obliged to them. For I have even interfered with him about
the lady."

Then Harry had to repeat his _veni, vidi, vici_ after his own fashion.
"Of course I interfered with him. How is a fellow to help himself? We
both of us were spooning on the same girl, and of course she had to
decide it."

"And she decided for you?"

"I fancy she did. At any rate I decided for her, and I mean to have
her."

Then Mr. Prosper was, for him, very gracious in his congratulations,
saying all manner of good things of Miss Mountjoy. "I think you'd like
her, Uncle Prosper." Mr. Prosper did not doubt but that he would
"appease the solicitor." He also had heard of Miss Mountjoy, and what he
had heard had been much to the "young lady's credit." Then he asked a
few questions as to the time fixed for the marriage. Here Harry was