"

"A young man you know--a young woman you would like to know."

Silence. Lady Niton sat down again.

"Kindly ring the bell," she said, lifting a peremptory hand, "and send
for my carriage."

"Let me parley an instant," said Sir James, moving between her and the
bell. "Bobbie is just off to Berlin. Won't you say good-bye to him?"

"Mr. Forbes's movements are entirely indifferent to me--ring!" Then,
shrill-voiced--and with sudden fury, like a bird ruffling up: "Berlin,
indeed! More waste--more shirking! He needn't come to me! I won't give
him another penny."

"I don't advise you to offer it," said Sir James, with suavity. "Bobbie
has got a post in Berlin through his uncle, and is going off for a
twelvemonth to learn banking."

Lady Niton sat blinking and speechless. Sir James drew the muslin
curtain back from the window.

"There they are, you see--Bobbie--and the Explanation. And if you ask
me, I think the Explanation explains."

Lady Niton put up her gold-rimmed glasses.

"She is not in the least pretty!" she said, with hasty venom, her old
hand shaking.

"No, but fetching--and a good girl. She worships her Bobbie, and she's
sending him away for a year."

"I won't allow it!" cried Lady Niton. "He sha'n't go."

Sir James shrugged his shoulders.

"These are domestic brawls--I decline them. Ah!" He turned to the
window, opening it wide. She did not move. He made a sign, and two of
the three persons who had just appeared on the lawn came running toward
the house. Diana loitered behind.

Lady Niton looked at the two young faces as they reached her side--the
mingling of laughter and anxiety in the girl's, of pride and
embarrassment in Bobbie's.

"You sha'n't go to Berlin!" she said to him, vehemently, as she just
allowed him to take her hand.

"Dear Lady Niton!--I must."

"You sha'n't!--I tell you! I've got you a place in London--a, thousand
times, better than your fool of an uncle could ever get you. Uncle,
indeed! Read that letter!" She tossed him one from her bag.

Bobbie read, while Lady Niton stared hard at the girl. Presently Bobbie
began to gasp.

"Well, upon my word!"--he put the letter down--"upon my word!"' He
turned to his sweetheart. "Ettie!--you marry me in a month!--mind that!
Hang Berlin! I scorn their mean proposals. London requires me." He drew
himself up. "But first" (he looked at Lady Niton, his flushed face
twitching a little) "justice!" he said, peremptorily--"justice on the
c