that, where my
only child is concerned, I should wish to do anything except what is
for her happiness!"

Arthur looked rebellion at Angela. Philip saw it, and added:

"Of course you can defy me--it is, I believe, rather the fashion for
girls, nowadays, to do so--but, if you do, you must both clearly
understand, first, that you cannot marry without my consent till the
first of May next, or very nearly a year hence, when Angela comes of
age, and that I shall equally forbid all intercourse in the interval;
and secondly, that when you do so, it will be against my wish, and
that I shall cut her name out of my will, for this property is only
entailed in the male line. It now only remains for me to ask you if
you agree to my conditions."

Angela answered him, speaking very slowly and clearly:

"I accept them on my own behalf, not because I understand them, or
think them right, or because of your threats, but because, though you
do not care for me, I am your daughter, and should obey you--and
believe that you wish to do what is best for me. That is why I accept,
although it will make my life wretched for a year."

"Do you hear what she says?" said Philip, turning to Arthur. "Do you
also agree?"

He answered boldly, and with some temper (how would he have answered
could he have seen the thousand pound cheque that was reposing upon
the table in Philip's rusty pocket-book, and known for what purpose it
came there?).

"If it had not been Angela's wish, I would never have agreed. I think
your terms preposterous, and I only hope that you have some
satisfactory reason for them; for you have not shown us any. But since
she takes this view of the matter, and because, so far as I can see,
you have completely cornered us, I suppose I must. You are her father,
and cannot in nature wish to thwart her happiness; and if you have any
plan of causing her to forget me--I don't want to be conceited, but I
believe that it will fail." Here Angela smiled somewhat sadly. "So,
unless one of us dies before the year is up, I shall come back to be
married on the 9th of June next year."

"Really, my dear Heigham, your way of talking is so aggressive, that
some fathers might be tempted to ask you not to come back at all; but
perhaps it is, under the circumstances, excusable."

"You would probably think so, if you were in my place," blurted out
Arthur.

"You give me, then, your word of honour as a gentleman that you will
attempt, either in per