ill agree to that, Papa?"

"I should never think of pressing any one on you."

"That is what I mean. And so we do understand each other. Nothing
can teach me not to think of him, and to love him, and to pray for
him. As long as I live I shall do so. Nothing you can find out about
him will alter me in that. Pray, pray do not go on finding out bad
things. Find out something good, and then you will begin to love
him."

"But if there is nothing good?" Sir Harry, as he said this,
remembered the indignant refusal of his offer which was at that
moment in his pocket, and confessed to himself that he had no right
to say that nothing good could be found in Cousin George.

"Do not say that, Papa. How can you say that of any one? Remember, he
has our name, and he must some day be at the head of our family."

"It will not be long, first," said Sir Harry, mournfully.

"Many, many, many years, I hope. For his sake as well as ours, I pray
that it may be so. But still it is natural to suppose that the day
will come."

"Of course it will come."

"Must it not be right, then, to make him fit for it when it comes? It
can't be your great duty to think of him, as it is mine; but still it
must be a duty to you too. I will not excuse his life, Papa; but have
there not been temptations,--such great temptations? And then, other
men are excused for doing what he has done. Let us try together,
Papa. Say that you will try."

It was clear to Sir Harry through it all that she knew nothing as yet
of the nature of the man's offences. When she spoke of temptation not
resisted, she was still thinking of commonplace extravagance, of the
ordinary pleasures of fast young men, of racecourses, and betting,
perhaps, and of tailors' bills. That lie which he had told about
Goodwood she had, as it were, thrown behind her, so that she should
not be forced to look at it. But Sir Harry knew him to be steeped
in dirty lies up to the hip, one who cheated tradesmen on system,
a gambler who looked out for victims, a creature so mean that he
could take a woman's money! Mr. Boltby had called him a swindler, a
card-sharper, and a cur; and Sir Harry, though he was inclined at
the present moment to be angry with Mr. Boltby, had never known the
lawyer to be wrong. And this was the man for whom his daughter was
pleading with all the young enthusiasm of her nature,--was pleading,
not as for a cousin, but in order that he might at last be welcomed
to that house as her