But Mr. Twentyman had proposed to her, and she
had certainly not accepted him. This, however, had broken none of
the family friendship. Every one in the house, unless it might be
Mary herself, hoped that Mr. Twentyman might prevail at last. The
man was worth six or seven hundred a year, and had a good house,
and owed no one a shilling. He was handsome, and about the
best-tempered fellow known. Of course they all desired that he
should prevail with Mary. "I wish that I were old enough, Larry,
that's all!" Kate had said to him once, laughing. "I wouldn't have
you, if you were ever laughing." "I wouldn't have you, if you were
ever so old," Larry had replied; "you'd want to be out hunting
every day." That will show the sort of terms that Larry was on with
his friend Kate. He called at the house every Saturday with the
declared object of going over to the club that was held that
evening in the parlour at the Bush, whither Mr. Masters also always
went. It was understood at home that Mr. Masters should attend this
club every Saturday from eight till eleven, but that he was not at
any other time to give way to the fascinations of the Bush. On this
occasion, and we may say on almost every Saturday night, Mr.
Twentyman arrived a full hour before the appointed time. The reason
of his doing so was of course well understood, and was quite
approved by Mrs.
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