"No, there have been no tender passages between Reuben and me.

We are merely old and intimate friends; in fact, there is what I may call a tendency in another direction--Walter Hornby." "Do you mean that you are engaged to Mr.Walter ?" "Oh, no," she replied; "but he has asked me to marry him--he has asked me, in fact, more than once; and I really believe that he has a sincere attachment to me." She made this latter statement with an odd air, as though the thing asserted were curious and rather incredible, and the tone was evidently noticed by Thorndyke as well as me for he rejoined-- "Of course he has.

Why not ?" "Well, you see," replied Miss Gibson, "I have some six hundred a year of my own and should not be considered a bad match for a young man like Walter, who has neither property nor expectations, and one naturally takes that into account.

But still, as I have said, I believe he is quite sincere in his professions and not merely attracted by my money." "I do not find your opinion at all incredible," said Thorndyke, with a smile, "even if Mr.Walter were quite a mercenary young man--which, I take it, he is not." Miss Gibson flushed very prettily as she replied-- "Oh, pray do not trouble to pay me compliments; I assure you I am by no means insensible of my merits.

But with regard to Walter Hornby, I should be sorry to apply the term 'mercenary' to him, and yet--well, I have never met a young man who showed a stronger appreciation of the value of money.