"Stop, Mr Loder," interrupted the Rector; "you have not heard my last word yet. During those two years I must decline to sanction any form of engagement between you two young people. You are much too young both of you to tie yourselves in any way. My daughter has hardly been out in society at all, and it is only fair that she should have the opportunity of seeing other young men, who might, you see, prove as attractive to her as yourself, and might most certainly have more definite prospects. I consider that she ought to have a fair chance of moving in society without any idea of an engagement to hamper her, and—were you going to speak, Mr Loder?"

At this period Dick had shown signs of evident anxiety to make himself heard, and now he abruptly blurted out"Of course I wouldn't have May tied for the world, sir; but I for my part

"Would be extremely foolish if you considered yourself bound to a girl who might change her mind at any minute." "But I should know in a minute if she had changed her mind."

"How would you know? By intuition?"

"Why, she would tell me."

'Oh, dear no," explained the Rector; "I could certainly not sanction any meetings during this period of probation."

Mr Loder's face fell perceptibly, much as the Rector felt that the other young man's face must have fallen as he listened to the laying down of the crucial test of perfection." "We should write," he suggested.

Correspondence is apt to be more dangerous than an interview. There must be no correspondence of any kind whatsoever."

"Then we are to be separated for two never see or hear anything of each other? live like that?"

whole years, and How can a man

"It seems to me, Mr Loder," said the Rector, smiling, "that you have lived, and, I hope, lived to your own credit and

enjoyment, for some twenty or more years already. Why, you have only known my daughter for a month or less."

Inasmuch as the young lady's face had been the subject of his waking and sleeping dreams for a matter of four months, this was hardly-so Dick felt- a fair assertion. But, sensible that the statement that he had fallen head over heels in love with a fair incognita, whom he had talked to for perhaps five minutes by the merest accident, would rather amuse than influence the older man, he did not think it expedient to enlighten him. Hard as the conditions imposed by the Rector were, it was better to accept any terms of peace than no terms at all,-to dree his weird as best he might for two long weary years, with the prospect of a happy reunion with his lady-love at the conclusion.

"Very well, sir, it shall be as you wish," he said, rather mournfully; "and now perhaps I had better go, or I might happen to see her, and it would make it all the harder; and taking up his hat he rose from his chair, and, bowing to Mr Balfour, walked to the door.

Something in the tone of resignation touched a soft spot in the Rector's heart, and at the same moment his eye fell upon the text of his sermon. After all, this young man was for the time, at all events, very dear to the idolised daughter. Was he too, like that other one, to be sent away very sorrowful? "One moment, Mr Loder. It is now," looking at his watch, "close on to five o'clock. Shall we say that the period

of probation shall commence at six? If you go to the drawingroom very likely May would give you a cup of tea, and I think I will tell you to ask her to send my tea in to me here. Good night, Mr Loder," and he held out his hand, which Dick, not trusting himself to speak, warmly grasped.

"Your father, darling," he was saying an hour later, "treated me so kindly that I must not be a minute behind my time. Good-bye, my May."

"Not good-bye at all, but au revoir, sir. wait seven years for his wife, so there!"

Jacob had to

"And then married the wrong girl after all. Well, I shan't do that at all events. Then it is au revoir, my May."

With one fond embrace parted the boy and girl, who had bravely struggled in that hour of grace by light word and merry jest each to cheer the other's fainting heart; and while he, going forth into the outer darkness, walked slowly and sadly homewards, she hurried to her own room, and completely breaking down, lay there weeping her heart out.

269

CHAPTER XX.

DEAD MEN'S SHOES.

"RICHARD MILTON LODER, deceased.

"Pursuant to the statute 22nd and 23rd Victoria, chapter 35, Notice is hereby given that all creditors and persons having any claims or demands against the estate of Richard Milton Loder of Loders, in the County of Westhampton, who died on the 14th day of January 18-, Intestate, and in whose estate letters of administration have been taken out by Graham Loder of Loders, in the County of Westhampton aforesaid, are requested to send in written particulars of their debts, claims, or demands to me, the undersigned, the solicitor for the said administrator, on or before the 4th day of April next, after which date the said administrator will proceed to distribute the assets of the said deceased amongst the parties entitled thereto, having regard only to the claims of which the said administrator shall then have had notice, and he will not be liable for the assets of the said deceased, or any part thereof, so distributed to any person of whose debt or claim he shall not then have had notice. "Dated this 30th day of January 18-.

"LAURENCE FERRIER,

Lincoln's Inn, London,

Solicitor for the said Administrator."

Such was the notice that appeared in the Times,' in the 'Westhampton Gazette,' and in several other newspapers, some three weeks after the events recorded in the previous chapter.

Richard Loder of Loders had gone the way of all flesh, dying quite suddenly at the last, though he had for some time been perceptibly ailing, a victim-so the doctors said to his own inordinate obstinacy,-obstinacy, alas! of that type too often shown by the lords of creation, who put off till too late the disagreeable task of living in accordance with strict rules. of dietary.

"If you persist in drinking port wine in the quantities you do drink night after night, Mr Loder, I tell you fairly that I cannot hold myself responsible for the consequences."

And as Mr Loder chose to turn a deaf ear to the doctor's remonstrance, the end came more rapidly and more suddenly than even the doctor had anticipated.

And Graham was now Loder of Loders, a king who had succeeded to a kingdom whose fair provinces were lying waste and neglected, whose treasury was emptied, whose resources were permanently crippled.

There had been no will left of any kind whatever, but practically that mattered but little the property—such as it was-was entailed upon Graham; of ready money there was a complete dearth; the accounts-such again as they were—were in so complete a state of confusion that the only point which seemed to be absolutely certain was that a considerable balance was owing to the bank.

"I don't know where to start," Graham had said to Lord Leuchars in positive despair; "there seems to be no beginning and no end to anything."

"I should think your lawyer would find both beginning and end, my dear fellow."

"It is all very well to say my lawyer. But what lawyer? My poor father's lawyers were those Porters at Westhampton. From what I could make out, they had pretty considerable claims