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the force of the argument, I totally deny that after this interval of time I am bound to marry you for honor’s sake. T would have married you, as you know well enough, at the proper time. But what is the use of remedies now ?”

They were standing at the window. A scantily-whiskered young man in clerical attire called at the door below. Leonora flushed with interest,

Who is he?” asked Mr. Millborne.

“My Frances’a lover. Iam so sorry--she is not at home! Ah! they have toid him where she is, and he has gone to find her. I hope that suit will prosper, at any rate !”

“ Why shouldn’t it?”

“Well, be cannot marry yet; and Frances sees but little of him now he has left Exonbury. He was formerly doing duty here, but now he is curate of St. John’s, Ivell, fifty miles up the line. There is a tacit agreement between them, but—there have been friends of his who object, because of our vocation, However, he sees the absurdity of such an objection as that, and is not influenced by it.”

“Your marriage with me would help the match, instead of hindering it, as you have said.”

“Do you think it would ?”

“It certainly would, by taking you out of this busi- ness altogether.”

By chance he had found the way to move her somewhat, and he followed it up. This view was imparted to Mrs, Frankland’s daughter, and it led her to soften her opposition. Millborne, who had given up his lodeing in Exonbury, journeyed to and fro regularly, till at last he overcame her negations, and she expressed a reluctant assent.