Force, who has been at sea for the last three years, but is now
homeward bound and is expected to arrive in time for Christmas; and then I
should not wonder if we should have to celebrate a New Year's wedding," he
added.

"Ah! So the young gentleman is engaged. And who is the young lady?"
inquired the colonel, making an effort to appear interested.

"Why! is it possible you don't know? I thought everybody knew!" exclaimed
the father, looking surprised.

"But I, you must remember, am a comparative stranger, and I am ignorant."

"Well, then, of course, the lady in question is my eldest daughter, a very
little lady as yet."

"Miss Force! Why, she is a mere schoolgirl! She must have been a little
child when he went away, if he has been gone three years," said Col.
Anglesea, in surprise; and then he fell into musing.

"She is sixteen now, and she was thirteen when he sailed. Of course there
was no formal engagement between them then--there could not have been, you
know; but it was understood! You see, sir, it is a family matter! The
children have been brought up together with a view to their future union.
They are certainly very fond of each other. Their marriage is a very
desirable one on every account. As I have no son, my eldest daughter will
inherit this manor--one of the oldest and largest in Maryland, and one
which has been in the family since the first settlement of the province,
more than two hundred years ago, when Aaron Force, who came over with
Leonard Calvert, received a grant of the land--a thousand acres, then. We
have not lost an acre in all these generations, but rather gained a third
more. There are fifteen hundred acres now. All this must 'fall to the
distaff' and go out of the family unless my daughter should marry her
cousin, Leonidas Force. He also has recently inherited a considerable
estate, joining this, and, like this, with a long sea front. It is not
always that young people submit to be guided by their elders in the matter
of marriage, but I am happy to say that my boy and girl have very readily
taken our views of the case and will follow them. So they will probably be
married very early in the new year, and the old ancestral estate will not
pass out of the old family name."

"I see," said the colonel, "and I heartily congratulate you on the
prospect."

Then he fell into deep thought. Presently he said:

"She has not seen her lover for three years, since she was a child?"

"No, not since