l about that."

"Oh! yes, Lady Bellamy, I have heard all about it, including your own
brave behaviour, to which, the doctor tells me, George owes his life.
I am sorry that he cannot see me, though. I have just come down from
town, and called in on my way from Roxham. I had some rather important
business that I wanted to speak about."

"About your offer to repurchase the Isleworth lands?" she asked.

"Ah! you know of the affair. Yes, that was it."

"Then I am commissioned to give you a reply."

Philip listened anxiously.

"Your cousin absolutely refuses to sell any part of the lands."

"Will nothing chance his determination? I am ready to give a good
price, and pay a separate valuation for the timber."

"Nothing; he does not intend to sell."

A deep depression spread itself over her hearer's face.

"Then there go the hopes of twenty years," he said. "For twenty long
years, ever since my misfortune, I have toiled and schemed to get
these lands back, and now it is all for nothing. Well, there is
nothing more to be said," and he turned to go.

"Stop a minute, Mr. Caresfoot. Do you know, you interest me very
much."

"I am proud to interest so charming a lady," he answered, a touch of
depressed gallantry.

"That is as it should be; but you interest me because you are an
instance of the truth of the saying that every man has some ruling
passion, if only one could discover it. Why do you want these
particular lands? Your money will buy others just as good."

"Why does a Swiss get home-sick? Why does a man defrauded of his own
wish to recover it?"

Lady Bellamy mused a little.

"What would you say if I showed you an easy way to get them?"

Philip turned sharply round with a new look of hope upon his face.

"You would earn my eternal gratitude--a gratitude that I should be
glad to put into a practical shape."

She laughed.

"Oh! you must speak to Sir John about that. Now listen; I am going to
surprise you. Your cousin wants to get married."

"Get married! George wants to get married!"

"Exactly so; and now I have a further surprise in store for you--he
wants to marry your daughter Angela."

This time Philip said nothing, but he started in evident and
uncomfortable astonishment. If Lady Bellamy wished to surprise him,
she had certainly succeeded.

"Surely you are joking!" he said.

"I never was further from joking in my life; he is desperately in love
with her, and wild to marry her."

"Well?"