putting
two things together. I mean to have another shy at her. She has
quarrelled with that fellow Maule altogether. I've learned that from
the gardener's girl at Harrington."

Yes,--he would make another attempt. All history, all romance, all
poetry and all prose, taught him that perseverance in love was
generally crowned with success,--that true love rarely was crowned
with success except by perseverance. Such a simple little tale of
boy's passion as that told him by his cousin had no attraction for
him. A wife would hardly be worth having, and worth keeping, so won.
And all proverbs were on his side. "None but the brave deserve the
fair," said his cousin. "I shall stick to it," said Tom Spooner.
"_Labor omnia vincit_," said his cousin. But what should be his next
step? Gerard Maule had been sent away with a flea in his ear,--so, at
least, Mr. Spooner asserted, and expressed an undoubting opinion that
this imperative dismissal had come from the fact that Gerard Maule,
when "put through his facings" about income was not able to "show the
money." "She's not one of your Polly Maxwells, Ned." Ned said that he
supposed she was not one of that sort. "Heaven knows I couldn't show
the money," said Ned, "but that didn't make her any wiser." Then Tom
gave it as his opinion that Miss Palliser was one of those young
women who won't go anywhere without having everything about them.
"She could have her own carriage with me, and her own horses, and her
own maid, and everything."

"Her own way into the bargain," said Ned. Whereupon Tom Spooner
winked, and suggested that that might be as things turned out after
the marriage. He was quite willing to run his chance for that.

But how was he to get at her to prosecute his suit? As to writing to
her direct,--he didn't much believe in that. "It looks as though one
were afraid of her, you know;--which I ain't the least. I stood up to
her before, and I wasn't a bit more nervous than I am at this moment.
Were you nervous in that affair with Miss Maxwell?"

"Ah;--it's a long time ago. There wasn't much nervousness there."

"A sort of milkmaid affair?"

"Just that."

"That is different, you know. I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll just
drive slap over to Harrington and chance it. I'll take the two bays
in the phaeton. Who's afraid?"

"There's nothing to be afraid of," said Ned.

"Old Chiltern is such a d---- cantankerous fellow, and perhaps Lady
C. may say that I oughtn't to have ta