man's inner room, and had there declared his purpose in a short and
business-like manner. He had an ample income of his own, he said,
and was prepared to make a proper settlement on the young lady. If
necessary, he would take her without any fortune;--but it would, of
course, be for the lady's comfort and for his own if something in the
way of money were forthcoming. So much he added, having heard of this
uncle's enormous wealth, and having also learned the fact that if Sir
Thomas were not at this moment Ayala's guardian he had been not long
ago. Sir Thomas listened to him with patience, and then replied to
him as above.

"Just so, Sir Thomas. I did hear that. But I think you were once; and
you are still her uncle."

"Yes; I am her uncle."

"And when I was so ill-treated in Kingsbury Crescent I thought
I would come to you. It could not be right that a gentleman
making an honourable proposition,--and very liberal, as you must
acknowledge,--should not be allowed to see the young lady. It was not
as though I did not know her. I had been ten days in the same house
with her. Don't you think, Sir Thomas, I ought to have been allowed
to see her?"

"I have nothing to do with her," said Sir Thomas;--"that is, in the
way of authority." Nevertheless, before Captain Batsby left him, he
became courteous to that gentleman, and though he could not offer any
direct assurance he acknowledged that the application was reasonable.
He was, in truth, becoming tired of Ayala, and would have been glad
to find a husband whom she would accept, so that she might be out
of Tom's way. He had been quite willing that Tom should marry the
girl if it were possible, but he began to be convinced that it was
impossible. He had offered again to open his house to her, with all
its wealth, but she had refused to come into it. His wife had told
him that, if Ayala could be brought back in place of Lucy, she would
surely yield. But Ayala would not allow herself to be brought back.
And there was Tom as bad as ever. If Ayala were once married then Tom
could go upon his travels, and come back, no doubt, a sane man. Sir
Thomas thought it might be well to make inquiry about this Captain,
and then see if a marriage might be arranged. Mrs. Dosett, he told
himself, was a hard, stiff woman, and would never get the girl
married unless she allowed such a suitor as this Captain Batsby to
have access to the house. He did make inquiry, and before the week
was over had