this disposal of her money
would be the worst possible for her own interests, and therefore for
his. If, indeed, his dark forebodings were warranted, then upon her
would fall the care of him, and the steadiness with which she faced that
responsibility came from a hope of which she could not speak.

'Name it as you will,' returned her father, hardly suppressing a note of
irritation. 'True, every commercial enterprise is a speculation. But let
me ask you one question, and beg you to reply frankly. Do you distrust
my ability to conduct this periodical?'

She did. She knew that he was not in touch with the interests of the
day, and that all manner of considerations akin to the prime end of
selling his review would make him an untrustworthy editor.

But how could she tell him this?

'My opinion would be worthless,' she replied.

'If Jedwood were disposed to put confidence in me, you also would?'

'There's no need to talk of that now, father. Indeed, I can't say
anything that would sound like a promise.'

He flashed a glance at her. Then she was more than doubtful?

'But you have no objection, Marian, to talk in a friendly way of a
project that would mean so much to me?'

'But I am afraid to encourage you,' she replied, frankly. 'It is
impossible for me to say whether I can do as you wish, or not.'

'Yes, yes; I perfectly understand that. Heaven forbid that I should
regard you as a child to be led independently of your own views and
wishes! With so large a sum of money at stake, it would be monstrous
if I acted rashly, and tried to persuade you to do the same. The matter
will have to be most gravely considered.'

'Yes.' She spoke mechanically.

'But if only it should come to something! You don't know what it would
mean to me, Marian.'

'Yes, father; I know very well how you think and feel about it.'

'Do you?' He leaned forward, his features working under stress of
emotion. 'If I could see myself the editor of an influential review, all
my bygone toils and sufferings would be as nothing; I should rejoice in
them as the steps to this triumph. Meminisse juvabit! My dear, I am not
a man fitted for subordinate places. My nature is framed for authority.
The failure of all my undertakings rankles so in my heart that sometimes
I feel capable of every brutality, every meanness, every hateful
cruelty. To you I have behaved shamefully. Don't interrupt me, Marian.
I have treated you abominably, my child, my dear daughter