I saw he was right, but, forlorn as the hope was of any appeal to Mr. Leare, I would not relinquish it.  I resolved to go out to America and see him, and wrote to England to secure letters of introduction to the chief engineers in the United States and Canada.  Meantime, my father proposed that we should go together and call upon Mrs. and Miss Leare.

Hermione received us in the boudoir, looking like a bruised lily:  her mother came in afterward.

“We are going right straight home,” she said, “the moment we can get money to get away.  I have written to Mr. Leare that he must find some means to send me some.”

“I am glad to hear you say this, madame,” said my father.  “My son has just made up his mind to go out to America and seek employment on one of your railways.”

Hermione looked up with a question in her eyes:  so did her mother.

“Why, Mr. Farquhar, that will suit us exactly,” cried Mrs. Leare.—­“Hermione, won’t it be lovely if Mr. Farquhar takes care of us on the voyage?—­You will engage your passage—­won’t you?—­in the same steamer as we do?—­No one was ever so good a squire of dames as your son, Captain Farquhar.  Hermione and I shall never forget our obligations to him.”

“No, madame,” said my father; and he got up and walked to the fireplace, where in his embarrassment he laid his hand upon the ornamented box which held the cigarettes of the fast lady.

She rose up too and went hastily toward him, anxious he should not surprise her little frailty.

“The truth is, madame,” whispered my father, who never could restrain his tongue from any kindly indiscretion, “the poor fellow is suffering too much from the attractions of Miss Leare.  He has nothing but his profession, and I tell him he must not dare to address her in her father’s absence.”

“My dear captain, what does that matter?  And I believe Hermione would have him too,” said her mother.

“Disparity of means—­” began my father.

“Oh, no matter,” interrupted Mrs. Leare:  “her father always told her just to please herself.  Mr. Farquhar is an Englishman and of good family.  He has his profession to keep him out of mischief, and Hermie will more than pay her own expenses.  Indeed, I dare not go home without a gentleman to look after us on the passage:  my nerves have been too shattered, and I never again shall trust a courier.  Do let your son go back with us,” she implored persuasively; and added, as she saw that he still hesitated, “Besides, what rich man in America knows how long he may be rich?  ‘Spend your money and enjoy yourself’ has always been my motto.”

Thus urged, what could my father do but suppose that Mrs. Leare knew Mr. Leare’s views better than he did?  He no longer held out on the point of honor.

In twenty-four hours Hermione and I were engaged to be married.

During the voyage to New York I learned to understand her father’s character, and when he met us on the wharf I was no longer afraid of him.