never took my eyes off him, and I saw that you made him cry twice."

"Three times, papa,--three times; not to speak of many false attacks of
sensibility that went off in deep sighs and chokings. Oh dear! am I not
wearied? Fetch me a little lemonade, and put one spoonful--only one--of
maraschino in it. That wretch Trover almost made me laugh with his
absurd display of grief. I 'll not have him here to-morrow."

"And is Winthrop to come to-morrow?"

"Yes; and this evening too. He comes to-night to tea; he is so anxious
to know you, papa; he has such a pleasant theory about that dear old
man covered with wounds and honors, and devoting his declining year's
to console his poor afflicted child. You have put too much maraschino in
this."

"One spoonful, on honor; but I mean to treat myself more generously.
Well, I 'm heartily glad that the interview is over. It was an anxious
thing to have before one, and particularly not knowing what manner of
man he might be."

"That was the real difficulty. It 's very hard to 'play up' to an
unknown audience!"

"I 'd not have asked them back this evening, Loo. It will be too much
for you."

"I did not do so. It was Winthrop himself begged permission to come; but
he promised that not a syllable of business was to transpire, so that I
have only to be very charming, which, of course, costs nothing."

"I gather that all went smoothly on this morning. No difficulty
anywhere?"

"None whatever. The account Trover gave us is fully borne out. The
property is immense. There are, however, innumerable legal details to be
gone through. I can't say what documents and papers we shall not have to
produce; meanwhile our American friend most generously lays his purse at
our disposal, and this blank check is to be filled at my discretion."

"'Barnet and King,'" read he; "an excellent house. 'Please to pay
to Mrs. Hawke, or order.' Very handsome of him, this, Loo; very
thoughtful."

"Very thoughtful; but I'd as soon Trover had not been present; he's a
greedy, grabbing sort of creature, and will insist upon a large discount
out of it."

"Make the draft the bigger, darling; the remedy is in your own hands."

"Strange there should be no letter from O'Shea. I was full certain we
should have heard something before this."

"Perhaps we may by this post, dear. It ought to have arrived by this
time."

"Then go and see, by all means. How I hate a post that comes of an
evening! One ought to begin the