He knew that she would soon have to speak the dark words to their girl; and the idea of any doing of it, caught at his throat.

Reasonably she dreaded the mother's task; pardonably indeed.

But it is for the mother to do, with a girl.

He deputed it lightly to the mother because he could see himself stating the facts to a son.

'And, my dear boy, you will from this day draw your five thousand a year, and we double it on the day of your marriage, living at Lakelands or where you will.' His desire for his girl's protection by the name of one of our great Families, urged him to bind Nataly to the fact, with the argument, that it was preferable for the girl to hear their story during her green early youth, while she reposed her beautiful blind faith in the discretion of her parents, and as an immediate step to the placing of her hand in a husband's.