Surely your days here, with me, quiet and healthful in this beautiful Perthshire, are better, better by far, than if you had been a politician up in London, ever struggling, ever speaking, and ever bearing the long hours at the House and the eternal stress of Parliamentary life ?" "Yes, yes," he said, just a trifle impatiently.

"It is not that.

I don't regret that I had to retire, except--well, except for your sake perhaps, dear." "For my sake! How ?" "Because, had I been a member of this Cabinet--which some of my friends predicted--you would have had the chance of a good marriage.

But buried as you are down here instead, what chances have you ?" "I want no chance, dad," replied the girl.

"I shall never marry." A painful thought crossed the old man's mind, being mirrored upon his brow by the deep lines which puckered there for a few brief moments.
"Well," he exclaimed, smiling, "that's surely no reason why you should not go to the ball at Connachan to-night." "I have my duty to perform, dad; my duty is to remain with you," she said decisively.