if all went to his wish in England, she should be
landlady of one of his inns in the Cape Colony. "And you will get a good
husband out there directly," said he. "Beauty is a very uncommon thing
in those parts. But I shall ask you to marry somebody who can help you
in the business--or not to marry at all."

"I wish I had the inn," said Emily. "Husbands are soon got when a girl
hasn't her face only to look to."

"Well, I promise you the inn," said he, "and a good outfit of clothes,
and money in both pockets, if you will do me a good turn here in
England."

"That I would, sir. But, laws, what can a poor girl like me do for a
rich gentleman like you?"

"Can you keep a secret, Emily?"

"Nobody better. You try me, sir."

He looked at her well; saw she was one of those who could keep a secret,
if she chose, and he resolved to risk it.

"Emily, my girl," said he sadly, "I am an unhappy man."

"You, sir! Why, you didn't ought to be."

"I am then. I am in love; and cannot win her."

Then he told the girl a pretty tender tale, that he had loved Mrs.
Staines when she was Miss Lusignan, had thought himself beloved in
turn, but was rejected; and now, though she was a widow, he had not the
courage to court her, her heart was in the grave. He spoke in such a
broken voice that the girl's good-nature fought against her little pique
at finding how little he was smitten with HER, and Falcon soon found
means to array her cupidity on the side of her good-nature. He gave her
a five-pound note to buy gloves, and promised her a fortune, and she
undertook to be secret as the grave, and say certain things adroitly to
Mrs. Staines.

Accordingly, this young woman omitted no opportunity of dropping a word
in favor of Falcon. For one thing, she said to Mrs. Staines, "Mr. Falcon
must be very fond of children, ma'am. Why, he worships Master Christie."

"Indeed! I have not observed that."

"Why, no, ma'am. He is rather shy over it; but when he sees us alone, he
is sure to come to us, and say, 'Let me look at my child, nurse;' and
he do seem fit to eat him. Onst he says to me, 'This boy is my heir,
nurse.' What did he mean by that, ma'am?"

"I don't know."

"Is he any kin to you, ma'am?"

"None whatever. You must have misunderstood him. You should not repeat
all that people say."

"No, ma'am; only I did think it so odd. Poor gentleman, I don't think he
is happy, for all his money."

"He is too good to be unhappy all his life."