of her to his cousin.  I wonder if he’ll find old Dynevor grateful.  Meanwhile the old Lord must needs come out here, finds our gains a better prize than he expected, trumps up this story at Valparaiso, takes you in, and brings you home to this precious youth.  And you, and your aunt too, are ready to believe it all!  I always knew that women were fools whenever a title came in their way, I see it more than ever now, since you and Melicent are both like the rest of ’em.’

‘Papa,’ said Mary, again rallying her firmness, ’we have found sadly how easy it is to be deceived when one is not on the spot.  Will you listen to me, who saw it all?’

’No, Mary, I will not hear the nonsense they have put into your head, my poor girl.  No!  I tell you it is of no use!  It is my resolute purpose that not one farthing of mine shall go to patch up the broken-down Ormersfield property!  The man is my enemy, and has sown dissension in my family from the first moment I connected myself with him.  I’ll never see my daughter his son’s wife.  I wonder he had the impudence to propose it!  I shall think you lost to all feeling for your father, if you say another word about it.’

‘Very well,’ said Mary, with steady submission.  ’Then I will only write one more letter to Fitzjocelyn, and tell him that your objections are insuperable, and that he must think of it no more.’

’That’s right, Mary! you are a good girl, after all!  You’ll stand by your father, in spite of all the House of Peers!  I’m glad to see you hold up your head so bravely.  So you did fancy being a Viscountess, did you! but it is not a heartbreaking matter either, my girl!’

This was too much for Mary, and when her father would have kissed her, she laid her head on his shoulder and wept silently but bitterly.

’Ha! what’s all this?  Why, you don’t pretend to care for a young mercenary scamp like that?’

’He is the noblest, most generous, most disinterested man I ever knew!’ said Mary, standing apart, and speaking clearly.  ’I give him up because—­you command me, father, but I will not hear him spoken of unjustly.’

’Ha! ha! so long as you give him up, we won’t quarrel.  He shall be all that, and more too, if you like; and we’ll never fight over the matter again, since I have you safe back, my child.’

‘I do not mean to mention him again,’ said Mary; ’I wish to obey you.’

’Then there’s an end of the matter.  You’ll get over it, my girl, and we’ll find some honest man worth two of your niggardly, proud-spirited earls.  There, I know you are a reasonable girl that can be silent, and not go on teasing.  So, Mary, you may have a cup of tea for me to-morrow in the sala, like old times.  Goodnight, my dear.’

Waiting upon himself!  That was the reward that Mr. Ponsonby held out to his daughter for crushing her first love!