y compliance to your wishes. Fortune is a thing out
of the question-with a young man of your expectations." And Sir Edward, in
his eagerness to smoothe the way, went on: "You can live here, or occupy
my small seat in Wiltshire. I can allow you five thousand a year, with
much ease to myself. Indeed, your mother and myself would both straighten
ourselves, to add to your comforts; but it is unnecessary--we have enough,
and you have enough."

Sir Edward, in a few moments, would have settled everything to the
dowager's perfect satisfaction, had not John interrupted him by the
exclamation of--

"To what do you allude, father?"

"Allude?" said Sir Edward, simply. "Why, Grace Chatterton, my son."

"Grace Chatterton! Sir Edward. What have I to do with Grace Chatterton?"

"Her mother has made me acquainted with your proposals, and"--

"Proposals!"

"Attentions, I ought to have said; and you have no reason to apprehend
anything from me, my child."

"Attentions!" said John, haughtily. "I hope Lady Chatterton does not
accuse me of improper attentions to her daughter?"

"No, not improper, my son," said his father: "on the contrary, she is much
pleased with them."

"She is, is she? But I am displeased that she should undertake to put
constructions on my acts that no attention or words of mine will justify."

It was now Sir Edward's turn to be surprised. He had thought he was doing
his son a kindness, when he had only been forwarding the dowager's
schemes; but averse from contention, and wondering at his cousin's
mistake, which he at once attributed to her anxiety in behalf of a
favorite daughter, he told John he was sorry there had been any
misapprehension, and left him.

"No, no," said Moseley, internally, as he paced up and down his father's
library, "my lady dowager, you are not going to force a wife down my
throat. If you do, I am mistaken; and Grace, if Grace"--John softened and
began to feel unhappy a little, but anger prevailed.

From the moment Grace Chatterton conceived a dread of her mother's saying
anything to Sir Edward, her whole conduct was altered. She could hardly
look any of the family in the face, and it was her most ardent wish that
they might depart. John she avoided as she would an adder, although it
nearly broke her heart to do so.

Mr. Benfield had stayed longer than usual, and he now wished to return.
John Moseley eagerly profited by this opportunity, and the very day after
the conversation in