e other day."

"Well, I won't have nothin' to do with it," said Raggett, rising.

"Well, nobody needn't know anything about it," said Boom, pulling him
down to his seat again. "She won't tell, I'm sure--she wouldn't like the
disgrace of it."

"Look here," said Raggett, getting up again.

"I mean from her point of view," said Mr. Boom querulously; "you're very
'asty, Raggett."

"Well, I don't care about it," said Raggett slowly; "it seemed all
right when we was talking about it; but s'pose I have all my trouble for
nothing, and she don't take Dick after all? What then?"

"Well, then there's no harm done," said his friend, "and it 'll be a bit
o' sport for both of us. You go up and start, an' I'll have another pint
of beer and a clean pipe waiting for you against you come back."

Sorely against his better sense Mr. Raggett rose and went off,
grumbling. It was fatiguing work on a hot day, climbing the road up the
cliff, but he took it quietly, and having gained the top, moved slowly
towards the cottage.

"Morning, Mr. Raggett," said Kate cheerily, as he entered the cottage.
"Dear, dear, the idea of an old man like you climbing about! It's
wonderful."

"I'm sixty-seven," said Mr. Raggett viciously, "and I feel as young as
ever I did."

"To be sure," said Kate soothingly; "and look as young as ever you did.
Come in and sit down a bit."

Mr. Raggett with some trepidation complied, and sitting in a very
upright position, wondered how he should begin. "I am just sixty-seven,"
he said slowly. "I'm not old and I'm not young, but I'm just old enough
to begin to want somebody to look after me a bit."

"I shouldn't while I could get about if I were you," said the innocent
Kate. "Why not wait until you're bed-ridden?"

"I don't mean that at all," said Mr. Raggett snappishly. "I mean I'm
thinking of getting married."

"Good--gracious!" said Kate, open-mouthed.

"I may have one foot in the grave, and resemble a dried herring in the
face," pursued Mr. Raggett with bitter sarcasm, "but--"

"You can't help that," said Kate gently.

"But I'm going to get married," said Raggett savagely.

"Well, don't get in a way about it," said the girl. "Of course, if you
want to, and--and--you can find somebody else who wants to, there's no
reason why you shouldn't! Have you told father about it?"

"I have," said Mr. Raggett, "and he has given his consent."

He put such meaning into this remark, and so much more in the contortio