lace myself in a
man's power."

Sir Marmaduke was told of all this on his return home, and he asked
many questions as to the nature of Stanbury's work. When it was
explained to him,--Lady Rowley repeating as nearly as she could all
that Hugh had himself said about it, he expressed his opinion that
writing for a penny newspaper was hardly more safe as a source of
income than betting on horse races. "I don't see that it is wrong,"
said Mrs. Trevelyan.

"I say nothing about wrong. I simply assert that it is uncertain. The
very existence of such a periodical must in itself be most insecure."
Sir Marmaduke, amidst the cares of his government at the Mandarins,
had, perhaps, had no better opportunity of watching what was going on
in the world of letters than had fallen to the lot of Miss Stanbury
at Exeter.

"I think your papa is right," said Lady Rowley.

"Of course I am right. It is out of the question; and so Nora must
be told." He had as yet heard nothing about Mr. Glascock. Had that
misfortune been communicated to him his cup would indeed have been
filled with sorrow to overflowing.

In the evening Nora was closeted with her father. "Nora, my dear,
you must understand, once and for all, that this cannot be," said
Sir Marmaduke. The Governor, when he was not disturbed by outward
circumstances, could assume a good deal of personal dignity, and
could speak, especially to his children, with an air of indisputable
authority.

"What can't be, papa?" said Nora.

Sir Marmaduke perceived at once that there was no indication of
obedience in his daughter's voice, and he prepared himself for
battle. He conceived himself to be very strong, and thought that his
objections were so well founded that no one would deny their truth
and that his daughter had not a leg to stand on. "This, that your
mamma tells me of about Mr. Stanbury. Do you know, my dear, that he
has not a shilling in the world?"

"I know that he has no fortune, papa,--if you mean that."

"And no profession either;--nothing that can be called a profession.
I do not wish to argue it, my dear, because there is no room for
argument. The whole thing is preposterous. I cannot but think ill
of him for having proposed it to you; for he must have known,--must
have known, that a young man without an income cannot be accepted as
a fitting suitor for a gentleman's daughter. As for yourself, I can
only hope that you will get the little idea out of your head very
quickly;-