id Mr. Prosper, still wondering at the thorough
knowledge of the business in hand displayed by the lady.

"Oh, if it were to be a son, that would be all right, and then my money
would go to the younger children, divided equally between the boys and
girls." Mr. Prosper shook his head as he found himself suddenly provided
with so plentiful and thriving a family. "That, I suppose, would be the
way of the settlement, together with a certain income out of Buston set
apart for my use. It ought to be considered that I should have to
provide a house to live in. This belongs to my brother, and I pay him
forty pounds a year for it. It should be something better than this."

"My dear Miss Thoroughbung, the lawyer would do all that." There did
come upon him an idea that she, with her aptitude for business, would
not be altogether a bad helpmate.

"The lawyers are very well; but in a transaction of this kind there is
nothing like the principals understanding each other. Young women are
always robbed when their money is left altogether to the gentlemen."

"Robbed!"

"Don't suppose I mean you, Mr. Prosper; and the robbery I mean is not
considered disgraceful at all. The gentlemen I mean are the fathers and
the brothers, and the uncles and the lawyers. And they intend to do
right after the custom of their fathers and uncles. But woman's rights
are coming up."

"I hate woman's rights."

"Nevertheless they are coming up. A young woman doesn't get taken in as
she used to do. I don't mean any offence, you know." This was said in
reply to Mr. Prosper's repeated frown. "Since woman's rights have come
up a young woman is better able to fight her own battle."

Mr. Prosper was willing to admit that Miss Thoroughbung was fair, but
she was fat also, and at least forty. There was hardly need that she
should refer so often to her own unprotected youth. "I should like to
have the spending of my own income, Mr. Prosper;--that's a fact."

"Oh, indeed!"

"Yes, I should. I shouldn't care to have to go to my husband if I wanted
to buy a pair of stockings."

"An allowance, I should say."

"And that should be my own income."

"Nothing to go to the house?"

"Oh yes. There might be certain things which I might agree to pay for. A
pair of ponies I should like."

"I always keep a carriage and a pair of horses."

"But the ponies would be my lookout. I shouldn't mind paying for my own
maid, and the champagne, and my clothes, of course, and th