Now, I had better write to old Fergusson, my chaplain, and tell him to be in readiness, and I suppose I ought to see my lawyers in Edinburgh, although, as there are no settlements and it is just between ourselves, perhaps it does not matter about them." "How old is the girl ?" Mr.Fordyce felt it prudent to ask.

"It is a pretty serious thing you contemplate, you know." "Oh! rot!--she is seventeen, I believe--and for that sort of a marriage and mere business arrangement, her age is no consequence." Henry turned to the window and looked out for a moment, then he said gravely: "Is it quite fair to her ?" Michael had gone to his writing-table, and was busily scribbling to his chaplain, but he looked over his shoulder startled, and then a gleam of blue fire came into his eyes, and his handsome mouth shut like a vise.
"Of course, it is quite fair.

She wishes to be free as much as I do.

She gets what she wants and I get what I want--a mere ceremony can be annulled at any time.

She jumped at the idea, I tell you, Henry--I have not got time to go into the pros and cons of that side of the question, and I don't want to hear your views or any one else's on the matter.