self, one whom Frank did
not hesitate to pronounce to be much less of a gentleman. That seat
in the House of Commons was to him nothing. There were many men in
the House of Commons to whom he would hardly condescend to speak.
To be the younger son of a latter-day peer was to him nothing. He
considered himself in all respects to be a more eligible husband than
Septimus Traffick. Therefore he had entertained but little doubt when
he found himself accepted by Gertrude herself and her mother. Then
by degrees he had learnt to know something of the young lady to whom
he intended to devote himself; and it had come to pass that the
better he had known the less he had liked her. Nevertheless he had
persevered, groaning in spirit as he thought of the burden with which
he was about to inflict himself. Then had come the release. Sir
Thomas had explained to him that no money would be forthcoming; and
the young lady had made to him a foolish proposition, which, as he
thought, fully justified him in regarding the match as at an end.

And then he had three days in which to make up his mind. It may be a
question whether three days are ever much better than three minutes
for such a purpose. A man's mind will very generally refuse to make
itself up until it be driven and compelled by emergency. The three
days are passed not in forming but in postponing judgment. In nothing
is procrastination so tempting as in thought. So it came to pass,
that through the Thursday, the Friday, and the Saturday, Frank
Houston came to no conclusion, though he believed that every hour
of the time was devoted to forming one. Then, as he ate his dinner
on Saturday night at his club, a letter was brought to him, the
handwriting of which was familiar to him. This letter assisted him
little in thinking.

The letter was from Gertrude Tringle, and need not be given in its
entirety. There was a good deal of reproach, in that he had been so
fickle as to propose to abandon her at the first touch of adversity.
Then she had gone on to say, that, knowing her father a great deal
better than he could do, she was quite satisfied that the money would
be all right. But the last paragraph of the letter shall be given.
"Papa has almost yielded already. I have been very ill;"--here the
extent of her malady was shown by the strength of the underscoring
with which the words were made significant;--"very ill indeed," she
went on to say, "as you will understand if you have ever rea