“I hope so.”

“But you are not particularly good-looking.”

“Papa, you are not complimentary.”

“My dear, I do not intend to be so.  To me your face, such as it is, is the sweetest thing on earth to look upon.”

“Oh, papa;—­dear papa!” and she threw her arms round his neck and kissed him.

“But having lived so long with me you have acquired my habits and thoughts, and have learned to disregard utterly your outward appearance.”

“I would be decent and clean and womanly.”

“That is not enough to attract the eyes of men in general.  But he has seen deeper than most men do.”

“Into the value of the business, you mean?” said she.

“No, Dolly; I will not have that! that is ill-natured, and, as I believe, altogether untrue.  I think of Mr. Barry that he would not marry any girl for the sake of the business, unless he loved her.”

“That is nonsense, papa.  How can Mr. Barry love me?  Did he and I ever have five minutes of free conversation together?”

“Unless he meant to love, would be nearer the mark; and knew that he could do so.  You will be quite safe in his hands.”

“Safe, papa!”

“So much for yourself; and now I must say a few words as to myself.  You are not bound to marry him, or any one else, to do me a good turn; but I think you are bound to remember what my feelings would be if on my death-bed I were leaving you quite alone in the world.  As far as money is concerned, you would have enough for all your wants; but that is all that you would have.  You have become so thoroughly my friend, that you have hardly another real friend in the world.”

“That is my disposition.”

“Yes; but I must guard against the ill-effects of that disposition.  I know that if some man came the way, whom you could in truth love, you would make the sweetest wife that ever a man possessed.”

“Oh, papa, how you talk!  No such man will come the way, and there’s an end of it.”

“Mr. Barry has come the way,—­and, as things go, is deserving of your regard.  My advice to you is to accept him.  Now you will have twenty-four hours to think of that advice, and to think of your own future condition.  How will life go with you if you should be left living in this house all alone?”

“Why do you speak as though we were to be parted to-morrow?”

“To-morrow or next day,” he said very solemnly.  “The day will surely come before long.  Mr. Barry may not be all that your fancy has imagined.”

“Decidedly not.”

“But he has those good qualities which your reason should appreciate.  Think it over, my darling.  And now we will say nothing more about Mr. Barry till he shall have been here and pleaded his own cause.”

Then there was not another word said on the subject between them, and on the next morning Mr. Grey went away to his chambers as usual.