ow what riches meant? Is it for me now to turn my
back upon fostering care so wise, beneficent, and free, just because
a man whom I have known some two weeks chances to offer me in exchange
what he pleases to call his love?"

"But," I feebly essayed, convinced perhaps by the tone of sarcasm in
which this was uttered that she was not far from my way of thinking
after all, "if in two weeks you have learned to love this man more than
everything else, even the riches which make your uncle's favor a thing
of such moment--"

"Well," said she, "what then?"

"Why, then I would say, secure your happiness with the man of your
choice, if you have to marry him in secret, trusting to your influence
over your uncle to win the forgiveness he never can persistently deny."

You should have seen the arch expression which stole across her face
at that. "Would it not be better," she asked, creeping to my arms, and
laying her head on my shoulder, "would it not be better for me to make
sure of that uncle's favor first, before undertaking the hazardous
experiment of running away with a too ardent lover?"

Struck by her manner, I lifted her face and looked at it. It was one
amused smile.

"Oh, my darling," said I, "you have not, then dismissed Mr. Clavering?"

"I have sent him away," she whispered demurely.

"But not without hope?"

She burst into a ringing laugh.

"Oh, you dear old Mamma Hubbard; what a matchmaker you are, to be sure!
You appear as much interested as if you were the lover yourself."

"But tell me," I urged.

In a moment her serious mood returned. "He will wait for me," said she.

The next day I submitted to her the plan I had formed for her
clandestine intercourse with Mr. Clavering. It was for them both to
assume names, she taking mine, as one less liable to provoke conjecture
than a strange name, and he that of LeRoy Robbins. The plan pleased
her, and with the slight modification of a secret sign being used on the
envelope, to distinguish her letters from mine, was at once adopted.

And so it was I took the fatal step that has involved me in all this
trouble. With the gift of my name to this young girl to use as she
would and sign what she would, I seemed to part with what was left me of
judgment and discretion. Henceforth, I was only her scheming, planning,
devoted slave; now copying the letters which she brought me, and
enclosing them to the false name we had agreed upon, and now busying
myself in devisin