bade her hold her tongue, and
remember that in Britannula a promise was always held to be as good
as a bond. "I suppose a young woman may change her mind in Britannula
as well as elsewhere," said my wife. I turned all this over in my
mind, because the slopes of Little Christchurch are very alluring,
and they would all belong to Eva so soon. And then it would be well,
as I was about to perform for Crasweller so important a portion of
his final ceremony, our close intimacy should be drawn still nearer
by a family connection. I did think of it; but then it occurred to
me that the girl's engagement to young Grundle was an established
fact, and it did not behove me to sanction the breach of a contract.
"Oh yes," said I to the young man, "I am aware that there is an
understanding to that effect between you and Eva's father."

"And between me and Eva, I can assure you."

Having observed the kiss behind the door on the previous day, I could
not deny the truth of this assertion.

"It is quite understood," continued Abraham, "and I had always
thought that it was to take place at once, so that Eva might get used
to her new life before her papa was deposited."

To this I merely bowed my head, as though to signify that it was a
matter with which I was not personally concerned. "I had taken it for
granted that my old friend would like to see his daughter settled,
and Little Christchurch put into his daughter's hands before he
should bid adieu to his own sublunary affairs," I remarked, when I
found that he paused.

"We all thought so up at the warehouse," said he,--"I and father,
and Grabbe, and Postlecott, our chief clerk. Postlecott is the next
but three on the books, and is getting very melancholy. But he is
especially anxious just at present to see how Crasweller bears it."

"What has all that to do with Eva's marriage?"

"I suppose I might marry her. But he hasn't made any will."

"What does that matter? There is nobody to interfere with Eva."

"But he might go off, Mr Neverbend," whispered Grundle; "and where
should I be then? If he was to get across to Auckland, or to Sydney,
and to leave some one to manage the property for him, what could
you do? That's what I want to know. The law says that he shall be
deposited on a certain day."

"He will become as nobody in the eye of the law," said I, with all
the authority of a President.

"But if he and his daughter have understood each other; and if some
deed be forthcom