r during his
life, and to settle four thousand pounds upon her after his
death. I said that I would do as much on my part by the
young man; but as two hundred a year, with your salary,
would hardly give you enough to begin with, I'll make mine
a hundred and fifty. You'll be getting up in your office
soon, and with five hundred a year you ought to be able to
get along; especially as you need not insure your life.
I should live somewhere near Bloomsbury Square at first,
because I'm told you can get a house for nothing. After
all, what's fashion worth? You can bring your wife
down here in the autumn, and have some shooting. She won't
let you go to sleep under the trees, I'll be bound.

But you must look after the young lady. You will
understand that no one has said a word to her about it; or,
if they have, I don't know it. You'll find the squire on
your side. That's all. Couldn't you manage to come down
this Easter? Tell old Buffle, with my compliments, that I
want you. I'll write to him if you like it. I did know him
at one time, though I can't say I was ever fond of him. It
stands to reason that you can't get on with Miss Lily
without seeing her; unless, indeed, you like better to
write to her, which always seems to me to be very poor sort
of fun. You'd much better come down, and go a-wooing in the
regular old-fashioned way. I need not tell you that Lady
Julia will be delighted to see you. You are a prime
favourite with her since that affair at the railway
station. She thinks a great deal more about that than she
does about the bull.

Now, my dear fellow, you know all about it, and I shall
take it very much amiss of you if you don't answer my
letter soon.

Your very sincere friend,

DE GUEST.

When Eames had finished this letter, sitting at his office-desk, his
surprise and elation were so great that he hardly knew where he was
or what he ought to do. Could it be the truth that Lily's uncle had
not only consented that the match should be made, but that he had
also promised to give his niece a considerable fortune? For a few
minutes it seemed to Johnny as though all obstacles to his happiness
were removed, and that there was no impediment between him and an
amount of bliss of which he had hitherto hardly dared to dream. Then,
when he considered the earl's munificence, he almost cried. He found
that he could not