Thomas by doing so. He therefore made it his business to encounter
Captain Batsby on the Sunday afternoon at a club to which they both
belonged. "So you have come back from your little trip?" said the
Member of Parliament.

The Captain was not unwilling to discuss the question of their family
relations with Mr. Traffick. If anybody would have influence with Sir
Thomas it might probably be Mr. Traffick. "Yes; I have come back."

"Without your bride."

"Without my bride,--as yet. That is a kind of undertaking in which a
man is apt to run many dangers before he can carry it through."

"I dare say. I never did anything of the kind myself. Of course you
know that I am the young lady's brother-in-law."

"Oh yes."

"And therefore you won't mind me speaking. Don't you think you ought
to do something further?"

"Something further! By George, I should think so," said the Captain,
exultingly. "I mean to do a great many things further. You don't
suppose I am going to give it up?"

"You oughtn't, you know. When a man has taken a girl off with him in
that way, he should go on with it. It's a deuced serious thing, you
know."

"It was his fault in coming after us."

"That was a matter of course. If he hadn't done it, I must. I have
made the family my own, and, of course, must look after its honour."
The noble scion of the house of Traffick, as he said this, showed by
his countenance that he perfectly understood the duty which
circumstances had imposed upon him.

"He made himself very rough, you know," said the Captain.

"I dare say he would."

"And said things,--well,--things which he ought not to have said."

"In such a case as that a father may say pretty nearly what comes
uppermost."

"That was just it. He did say what came uppermost,--and very rough it
was."

"What does it matter?"

"Not much if he'd do as he ought to do now. As you are her
brother-in-law, I'll tell you just how it stands. I have been to him
and made a regular proposal."

"Since you have been back?"

"Yes; the day before yesterday. And what do you think he says?"

"What does he say?"

"He gives his consent; only--"

"Only what?"

"He won't give her a shilling! Such an idea, you know! As though she
were to be punished after marriage for running away with the man she
did marry."

"Take your chance, Batsby," said the Member of Parliament.

"What chance?"

"Take your chance of the money. I'd have done it; only, of course,
it was di