This arrested her.  Stung to the defence of her friend, who, clerk though he might be, was neither impudent nor vulgar, she found herself driven back upon self-respect.  The battle went on for hours; it exhausted her; it undid all the good effects of sun and sea, and left her flaccid, pale.

‘I’m afraid the journey yesterday was too much for you,’ remarked Mr. Whiston, after observing her as she sat mute the next evening.

‘I shall soon recover,’ Rose answered coldly.

The father meditated with some uneasiness.  He had not forgotten Rose’s singular expression of opinion after their dinner at the inn.  His affection made him sensitive to changes in the girl’s demeanour.  Next summer they must really find a more bracing resort.  Yes, yes; clearly Rose needed bracing.  But she was always better when the cool days came round.

On the morrow it was his daughter’s turn to feel anxious.  Mr. Whiston all at once wore a face of indignant severity.  He was absent-minded; he sat at table with scarce a word; he had little nervous movements, and subdued mutterings as of wrath.  This continued on a second day, and Rose began to suffer an intolerable agitation.  She could not help connecting her father’s strange behaviour with the secret which tormented her heart.

Had something happened?  Had her friend seen Mr. Whiston, or written to him?

She had awaited with tremors every arrival of the post.  It was probable—­more than probable—­that he would write to her; but as yet no letter came.  A week passed, and no letter came.  Her father was himself again; plainly she had mistaken the cause of his perturbation.  Ten days, and no letter came.

It was Saturday afternoon.  Mr. Whiston reached home at tea-time.  The first glance showed his daughter that trouble and anger once more beset him.  She trembled, and all but wept, for suspense had overwrought her nerves.

’I find myself obliged to speak to you on a very disagreeable subject’—­thus began Mr. Whiston over the tea-cups—­’a very unpleasant subject indeed.  My one consolation is that it will probably settle a little argument we had down at the seaside.’

As his habit was when expressing grave opinions (and Mr. Whiston seldom expressed any other), he made a long pause and ran his fingers through his thin beard.  The delay irritated Rose to the last point of endurance.

‘The fact is,’ he proceeded at length, ’a week ago I received a most extraordinary letter—­the most impudent letter I ever read in my life.  It came from that noisy, beer-drinking man who intruded upon us at the inn—­you remember.  He began by explaining who he was, and—­if you can believe it—­had the impertinence to say that he wished to make my acquaintance!  An amazing letter!  Naturally, I left it unanswered—­the only dignified thing to do.  But the fellow wrote again, asking if I had received his proposal.  I now replied, briefly and severely, asking him, first,