"You needn't stay here." Jessica was
already going. "She has a curious, brusque
manner, my lord. I don't know how she
has picked it up and, I hope, was not
giving any of her new-fangled theories
about the bridge?"

"What bridge? Dear no. I misunderstood
her a little. But I wish to speak to
you, doctor. Suppose we go out into the
garden?"

"To be sure. I know that my daughter
has been on her æsthetics, and all that.
Such folly! I assure you, my lord, I do
my best to prevent her troubling people
with such nonsense. There is a charming
family over here—of course you know them
—Sir Charles Panton, and all that; and,
really, the outrageous manner in which she
battles that poor young lady!"

"Indeed," said Lord Formanton, on
whom fresh lights were breaking every
moment. "Oh, that explains a great deal.
Your daughter is a very clever young lady;
but you are a man of the world, Doctor
Bailey. And now I just want to put the
matter before you in a business-like way."

The amount of eager assent, hearty
endorsement, and cordial promise that came
from the doctor, as they walked round and
round many times, was wonderful.
Delicacy, as the peer soon saw, would be
thrown away on such an occasion.

"Oh, I saw it, and, I can assure you,
discountenanced the business. But, my
lord, she is beyond my control. What
you say would be just the thing, suitable
in every way. I should be delighted to
see it, and so would every one here. So
nice, so suitable in every way," added the
doctor, plaintively.

"The whole thing is so embarrassing,"
said his lordship, "and your daughter
spoke so plainly; but you, as a man of the
world, see the thing."

This shape of compliment is jam for
many a powder, to more besides Doctor
Bailey. "You and I are men of the world,"
"Between men of the world like you and
me," have carried many a doubtful
proposal.

The delighted doctor answered, "To be
sure, to be sure! You know, my lord,
they say here that your son has only to ask
and to have. Miss Panton has shown her
preference in the most marked manner."

"You don't tell me that!" cried the
peer. "That is good news, indeed. Tell
me what you know about that."

This mean and disloyal doctor took the
guest's arm, and poured into his ear all the
whispers and gossips of the parish; and the
grateful nobleman then proceeded to open
those little tempting prospects he had
been meditating as he came along. The
doctor was transported as his alliance was
thus made sure of. "You may rely on
me," he said, taking the peer's hands
between both his; "rely on me. I am shocked
to think you should have had any anxiety
coming from our house. But I'll take care
of the rest now."

No sooner was he alone than the doctor
tramped through his hall, calling, "Here,
Jessica! Come, send her down, some one.
What is the girl at? Is there no one to
attend?"

She came down, the traces of tears in
her eyes, but resolved and cold.

"Now, see here, girl," said the doctor,
he never cared about the servants hearing.
"This is a nice kettle-of-fish you have
brought us into. Nice thing it is for me, a
minister of the place, and all that, have
the highest nobles in the land coming to
complain of the scheming and the
trepanning of their sons by designing girls!
Faugh! A pretty business your political
economy and rubbish have brought us into.
I'm ashamed of you."

"Father, I do not wish to talk of this.
There has been enough said, and enough
degradation for me!"

"For me, you mean! Am I out of it?
Indecent; so it is. Scampering after a
young man of that sort, heir to one of the
finest properties in the kingdom——"

"Father, I can't, I won't listen to this.
Stop; it is cruel—barbarous!"

"But I won't stop. A fine, gentlemanly
young fellow like that, whom I ask to my
dinner-table; and a foolish, countrified girl
must go baiting her traps——"

"Oh, father!" Jessica had sunk down,
half on the floor, half buried on the sofa,
overcome, not so much by this gross and
unseemly attack as by the sudden
apparition of a figure in the doorway.

The doctor was only put out for a moment,
though he saw Con way standing in mute
astonishment. "Oh, I have been speaking
plainly," he said. "Mr. Conway, your
good father and I have come to a perfect
understanding on this matter. And he
acquits me perfectly."

"Pray don't," said Conway, raising up
Jessica. "Will you do me the favour of
letting me say a few words to your daughter
in private?"

"To be sure. Nothing can be fairer.
No, no. I have always been above board