A thought was in the mind of each; but the Colonel, trained by long experience, and wise in his generation, waited for Mr.Porson to speak.

Many and many a time in the after days did he find reason to congratulate himself upon this superb reticence--for there are occasions when discretion can amount almost to the height of genius.

Under their relative circumstances, if it had been he who first suggested this alliance, he and his family must have remained at the gravest disadvantage, and as for stipulations, well, he could have made none.

But as it chanced it was from poor Porson's lips that the suggestion came.
Mr.Porson cleared this throat--once, twice, thrice.

At the third rasp, the Colonel became very attentive.