that I have these personal considerations still to urge before I finish
my letter. You don't know your brother and his wife as well as I do,
if you doubt their answer. I believe they have courage enough and
heart enough to say Yes.'

Henry submitted without being convinced.

He was a man who disliked all eccentric departures from custom and
routine; and he felt especially suspicious of the change proposed in
the life of Agnes. With new interests to occupy her mind, she might be
less favourably disposed to listen to him, on the next occasion when he
urged his suit. The influence of the 'lonely useless existence' of
which she complained, was distinctly an influence in his favour. While
her heart was empty, her heart was accessible. But with his nieces in
full possession of it, the clouds of doubt overshadowed his prospects.
He knew the sex well enough to keep these purely selfish perplexities
to himself. The waiting policy was especially the policy to pursue
with a woman as sensitive as Agnes. If he once offended her delicacy
he was lost. For the moment he wisely controlled himself and changed
the subject.

'My little niece's letter has had an effect,' he said, 'which the child
never contemplated in writing it. She has just reminded me of one of
the objects that I had in calling on you to-day.'

Agnes looked at the child's letter. 'How does Lucy do that?' she asked.

'Lucy's governess is not the only lucky person who has had money left
her,' Henry answered. 'Is your old nurse in the house?'

'You don't mean to say that nurse has got a legacy?'

'She has got a hundred pounds. Send for her, Agnes, while I show you
the letter.'

He took a handful of letters from his pocket, and looked through them,
while Agnes rang the bell. Returning to him, she noticed a printed
letter among the rest, which lay open on the table. It was a
'prospectus,' and the title of it was 'Palace Hotel Company of Venice
(Limited).' The two words, 'Palace' and 'Venice,' instantly recalled
her mind to the unwelcome visit of Lady Montbarry. 'What is that?' she
asked, pointing to the title.

Henry suspended his search, and glanced at the prospectus. 'A really
promising speculation,' he said. 'Large hotels always pay well, if
they are well managed. I know the man who is appointed to be manager
of this hotel when it is opened to the public; and I have such entire
confidence in him that I have become one of the shareholders of the
Company.'

The