usband to the effect that encouragement should be
given to the young people to fall in love with each other. To this
Sir Harry never assented; though there was a time,--and that time had
not yet passed when George Hotspur reached Humblethwaite,--in which
the Baronet was not altogether averse to the idea of the marriage.
But when George left Humblethwaite the Baronet had made up his mind.
Tidings had reached him, and he was afraid of the cousin. And other
tidings had reached him also; or rather perhaps it would be truer
to him to say that another idea had come to him. Of all the young
men now rising in England there was no young man who more approved
himself to Sir Harry's choice than did Lord Alfred Gresley, the
second son of his old friend and political leader the Marquis of
Milnthorp. Lord Alfred had but scanty fortune of his own, but was
in Parliament and in office, and was doing well. All men said all
good things of him. Then there was a word or two spoken between
the Marquis and the Baronet, and just a word also with Lord Alfred
himself. Lord Alfred had no objection to the name of Hotspur. This
was in October, while George Hotspur was still declaring that Gilbsy
knew nothing of getting up a head of game; and then Lord Alfred
promised to come to Humblethwaite at Christmas. It was after this
that George owned to a few debts. His confession on that score did
him no harm. Sir Harry had made up his mind that day. Sir Harry had
at that time learned a good deal of his cousin George's mode of life
in London, and had already decided that this young man was not one
whom it would be well to set upon the pinnacle.

And yet he had liked the young man, as did everybody. Lady Elizabeth
had liked him much, and for a fortnight had gone on hoping that all
difficulties might have solved themselves by the young man's marriage
with her daughter. It need hardly be said that not a word one way or
the other was spoken to Emily Hotspur; but it seemed to the mother
that the young people, though there was no love-making, yet liked
each other. Sir Harry at this time was up in London for a month or
two, hearing tidings, seeing Lord Alfred, who was at his office; and
on his return, that solution by family marriage was ordered to be for
ever banished from the maternal bosom. Sir Harry said that it would
not do.

Nevertheless, he was good to the young cousin, and when the time was
drawing nigh for the young man's departure he spoke of a further