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the little lady, with a wise shake of her head. But even these suggestions failed to arouse Ernestine, or at all events failed to provoke her into shewing any interest.

Possibly if she could have guessed how much this matter of Laura Doldy and her engagement was troubling Dr. Doldy's mind, she could not have been quite so indifferent.

He looked at his watch as he entered his brougham after his last necessary call, and saw that he had just time to reach home for dinner. Laura was to arrive in town late this afternoon, and was waiting to meet him; and although Laura was only his niece. yet there was something in Dr. Doldy's nature which made him unable to be impolite to a woman, and he would have been as uneasy if he had been late to-night as if Laura were a visitor in his house. Mrs. Silburn had wickedly said of him that he was more a gentleman than anything else; but after all she did not succeed in saying anything very malicious, for to be a gentleman in any genuine sense a man must have some latent qualities which are by no means of a kind to be despised. And no one-not even Mrs. Silburn -could have said of Dr. Doldy that he was not a true gentleman.

And that very characteristic of the man had won him Ernestine Vavasour's love, although he was so wholly unlike her ideal—so wholly unlike herself.

For, like the generality of men, he lived in this world, having acquired an easy toleration of what was repugnant to his better self, of the world's conventions and even its shams, in consideration of its allowing him to pass his days in comparatively peaceful ease. What more than that do most people purchase at the hands of the world by their work in it, their

toleration of it, even their countenance of its manifest humbugs and evils? There was a true man latent behind that quiet and wellgoverned face which was Dr. Doldy's presentment, and, yet, at this moment, driving home in his carriage to meet his niece at dinner, he was uncomfortably conscious of an absurd feeling that he should not dare to meet Ernestine's deep, fierce eyes if she were enabled to overhear all that might pass between himself and Laura.

And that not because he had done anything which a man would be ashamed to own in most ordinary circles of society; but because he had placed himself in a false position. And now that Ernestine Vavasour's image filled all his soul, he could not help fancying how, if he should ask her counsel, she would say, "You should never have got into such a position." Ernestine hated anything mean. and at the present moment Dr. Doldy felt himself to be mean. His gentlemanly instincts, when aroused, led him to the same conclusion as Ernestine's intense sense of right-doing would have led her.

He had to meet Laura at dinner. He knew that Laura's purpose was to persuade him into giving his final consent to her engagement to, and speedy marriage with, a certain Don Jose Yriarte, a Spanish gentleman of aristocratic connexions. Laura was set upon the marriage, as Dr. Doldy well knew; but Dr. Doldy had so great a contempt for, and aversion from, Don Jose Yriarte that he would have exerted all his influence to dissuade Laura from a marriage which he felt sure would bring her unhappiness, had it not been that he had placed himself in a false position.

He could not dissuade her because he dared not. And yet he

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The thing had never looked so bad to him before to-day; but since he had seen the look of love in Ernestine's eyes, he felt as if he were indeed passing from one sphere of existence to another, in leaving that in which Ernestine e lived, and entering that of Don Jose Yriarte, and his own uncomfortable feelings about him.

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The Doctor's reflections were cut short by the stoppage of his carriage at his own door. In a few moments he would be face to face with Laura and her pretty pleadings with the difficulty, in fact. "Well, I suppose I must give my consent," he thought with a sigh, as he stepped out of his carriage.

Dr. Doldy's was a handsome house in a large and fashionable square; lighted up as it was now, it looked attractive and suggestive of luxurious and pleasant living. He paused an instant on the steps, the thought of Ernestine, as its mistress, in his mind. It would indeed be an attractive home with such a woman within it. Butgood heavens! a thought struck him-a thought that in spite of the shock it had caused him at first, he had forgotten to realise -Dr. Vavasour! He had heard it with his own ears!-Dr. Ernestine Doldy! Conceive the thing!

No-no-he put the idea aside with a gentle little laugh at his own folly. Dr. Vavasour had consented to become his wife, and in doing so she would leave behind her everything but what might be suitable to Mrs. Doldy. If she loved him as he believed she did, she could need no other title than that of his wife. So he reassured himself again on this point.

He entered the hall, walking as

though in a dream; lost, for the first time in his life, in a maze of emotion. He had forgotten Laura in the few seconds which were occupied in passing from his carriage to the dining-room door; he put his hat and gloves aside, and was about to turn into the room when he was aroused by a voice on the stairs.

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'Forgotten me, uncle ?-complimentary indeed! What has come over you? I never saw you look so absent."

"Forgive me, Laura, my child! My mind was so full that I had positively for the moment forgotten that I should find you at home. I needn't ask you how you areyour looks tell me!"

A little woman had come down the stairs and stood by his side. A little woman with a skin like cream-coloured satin and dark, almond-shaped eyes. Very effective were Laura Doldy's eyes as she raised them with one of her sudden glances, and then drooped the heavy eyelids over them again, so that the dark lashes swept her pale cheeks. Perhaps a little pearl powder and bella-donna added to the effective contrast, but what of that, so long as the contrast was effective? In this world, as Laura was wont to say herself, the question is, Do you get things? not, How do you get them? At all events, as Dr. Doldy looked at his niece he thought she really was too good a prize for Don Jose Yriarte-but, as dinner was not yet an accomplished fact, he, like a wise man, put the disagreeable vision of that gentleman aside for the present.

CHAPTER III.

COMPROMISING.

LAURA chattered gaily all dinnertime. She used her eyes upon her uncle as it was natural to her

to use them upon any man. She would never have dreamed of laying any request or desire of hers before him in its simplicity, and expecting it to carry its day by its own weight and reasonableness. Not so that would have been a reckless wastefulness of the advantages vouchsafed to her by kindly Nature. Laura believed herself capable of doing anything she really aimed to do with any male being, by dint of those eyes of hers and her quick-tripping, soft-sounding tongue. Therefore, although she and Dr. Doldy very fairly understood their present relative positions, it was natural to her to commence the producing of an effect upon him as soon as they came in contact. She approached him on all sides, by all avenuescalculating, as such small intriguers will, the effect of the warmth, the dinner, and every glass of wine, upon his accessibility. There is

something of the pussy-cat in this disposition; it watches its game as keenly as the cat observes the mouse's movements, even if it be a comfortable, civilised, well-fed tabby, and does not mean actually to devour. Laura meant no harm to her uncle; indeed she was feeling rather especially affectionate towards him; all she wanted was her own way. And that own way she set about getting after the fashion that seemed best to her.

She had plenty of time during dinner to talk, for she did not eat much; cream-coloured women seldom do. Dr. Doldy dined with epicurean science, as had been taught him by time and experience. He had long ago accepted the fact that to live easily in this world you must take as much of the richness of it as comes within your reach, and shut your eyes to the skim-milk which you are leaving for somebody else. He who does not follow this plan

more or less is accounted a fanatic. Why not, then, let the world wag on its own way, and enjoy our after-dinner port with our best gusto?

At all events, Dr. Doldy's '34, sent him from the Duchess of Dolldrum's cellars, afforded him a certain pleasure; and though, when he held it to the light, he saw Ernestine's face within the glowing liquid, yet he did not forget to enjoy the lingering flavour on his palate. The man who is matured, though he may lose his head in a sudden awakening of the finer emotions, will not, like the boy in love, lose himself; he cannot lay aside in a moment the quiet habits of personal enjoyment by which he has made life endurable.

Laura related amusing little anecdotes about her last visit, from which she had just returned, giving her listener to understand, by a subtle thread which ran through her avowedly funny stories, that she had been amazingly happy all the time; and insinuating, though without the mention of a name, that one particular person had caused all this happiness. And then, when the servants had left them alone, Laura rested one white arm upon the table until she saw her uncle's eyes attracted by the flash of certain brilliants which adorned it.

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Laura still did not reply; and looking across at her Dr. Doldy was surprised to see that she had flushed deeply. The colour very soon died away, leaving her pale as ever; but not the less was her uncle unaffectedly surprised at this exhibition of some genuine emotion.

"Laura," he said, almost startled out of his ordinary self-possession, **you don't mean to tell me that you are really in love with this man-that you positively care for him enough to blush at the mention of his name?"

"Why should I wish to marry him," said Laura, in her lowest, softest voice, "if I did not care for him?"

Dr: Doldy looked hard at her. This girl, whom he had known ever since she wore long clothes, often puzzled him more than he would have chosen to own.

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"Well, you see, Laura," he answered, rather drily, "knowing the position in which you placed, of course I am likely to expect another motive in your wish to have your marriage settled. But, you know, child," he went on, more gently and earnestly, "I don't see any reason to hasten your marriage-there is yet plenty of time. There is a full year before the end of your freedom-you may have a dozen more proposals -you need not marry Yriarte, unless-unless you really care for

him."

But I do care for him," cried Laura, angrily. "Why will you persist in thinking I don't?"

Dr. Doldy leaned back in his chair without answering her. He was too considerate, after her avowal, to say "Because I should as soon expect you to fall in love with a monkey!"-And as that was the first reply that rose to his lips, he took a moment to prepare another less unpolite.

"I am made too anxious, I suppose, Laura, by our position. I would not have you sacrifice your happiness for the sake of money; and as you have thrown away so many offers before, I feared you might be accepting this one merely because you had left yourself so little time in which to make a choice. I know you must marry somebody, or we must face complete ruin; it is of no use to hide the fact, for we both know it only too well. How I wish your brother had lived, Laura!-1t would have been far better for you to have had a single thousand pounds to use as you chose than to be the heiress you are at such a price as this."

Dr. Doldy rose from his chair as he spoke. His feeling in this matter was most genuine-it roused him to anger.

"I don't know about that, uncle," said Laura, looking down. "I like money-and diamondsand dress."

Dr. Doldy turned sharply to look at her, as he stood on the hearthrug.

Well," said he, drily, "if you are so content, of course it is not for me to complain of your grandfather's will. At the same time, I do regret that I have ever allowed myself to be in the position I am. My conscience would be easier if your remaining unmarried had only meant poverty, not ruin; or if you had found love in a cottage, rather than this marriage, which at the bottom of my heart I cannot approve. had not been so If you wastefully extravagant-if you had not demanded money of

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And now you are only growing sentimental over it."

Dr. Doldy pulled himself up and stood silent. He was indeed ignominiously situated.

"True, Laura," he said, after a little pause, 66 we are both in the same box. We are equally concerned in the matter now— -that I know full well; you have our whole fortunes in your hands. There is no escaping the fact-which perhaps you hardly realise to its fullest extent that we have borrowed so largely on your prospects as to require, with interest, a full third of your fortune if we paid the debt at once. And, as we have neither of us any resources, and I have only my professional income, we cannot for a moment think of not fulfilling the conditions of the will. But, Laura, as I said, you have a year before you. If your marriage is consummated the day before your twenty-third birthday, you will safely inherit. Therefore, all I say is, don't get frightened into a hasty marriage-be careful about it."

"I am not making any hasty marriage, uncle," answered Laura, quietly. "I have repeatedly told you that I marry Mr. Yriarte simply because I—well, I care for him."

'Strange!" muttered Dr. Doldy below his breath, as he returned to his seat and his unfinished glass of port. "Passing strange!"

"And," he said, aloud, after an appreciative sip, "don't be angry with me, Laura, if I ask you whether you are sure it is yourself and not your money he cares

for?"

"I am quite sure," answered Laura, "that whether he cares for my money or not, he cares for me too."

Dr. Doldy looked quickly up at her as she spoke; and saw again

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I must, I suppose," said he, with no very good grace; "his connexions are excellent-I have no reason to refuse my consent. But, Laura, don't be hasty. Let the engagement last as long as possible; you have a little time yet before you!"

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But," said Laura, "he has a right to his feelings, and I to mine. I dislike long engagements, and he is most anxious to be married soon. As you feel you can't but consent, why not let us have our way quietly in this?"

Laura was shewing her teeth again. Hedged in as he was.. Dr. Doldy could but say as amia-bly as might be, "Well, child, have your way."

"Now, you are being delightful," said Laura, in her sweetest manner. "It is all settled, so don't look cross. I told Jose he might come to-morrow-you will him?"

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I must, I suppose," repeated the Doctor. He felt himself so entangled in the meshes' of this. uncomfortable net that he could think of nothing else to say.

"That's all right then," said Laura. "Now I have another affair to talk of. The marriage now being an arranged thing, we had better consider how to settle our money matters. I propose

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