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get all the money necessary； from Wall Street men in an hour。 And he is
going to marry！ Going to marry Dora Denning！ It is ‘extraordinary news；'
indeed！〃
Ethel was a little offended at such unusual surprise。 〃I think you don't
quite understand Dora；〃 she said。 〃It will be Mr。 Stanhope's fault if she is
not led in the right way； for if he only loves and pets her enough he may
do all he wishes with her。 I know； I have both coaxed and ordered her for
four yearssometimes one way is best； and sometimes the other。〃
〃How is a man to tell which way to take？ What do her parents think of
the marriage？〃
〃They are pleased with it。〃
〃Pleased with it！ Then I have nothing more to say； except that I hope
they will not appeal to me on any question of divorce that may arise from
such an unlikely marriage。〃
〃They are only lovers yet； Edward；〃 said Ruth。 〃It is not fair； or kind；
to even think of divorce。〃
〃My dear Ruth； the fashionable girl of today accepts marriage with the
provision of divorce。〃
〃Dora is hardly one of that set。〃
〃I hope she may keep out of it； but marriage will give her many
opportunities。 Well； I am sorry for the young priest。 He isn't fit to manage
a woman like Dora Denning。 I am afraid he will get the worst of it。〃
〃I think you are very unkind； father。 Dora is my friend； and I know her。
She is a girl of intense feelings and very affectionate。 And she has
dissolved all her life and mind in Mr。 Stanhope's life and mind； just as a
lump of sugar is dissolved in water。〃
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Ruth laughed。 〃Can you not find a more poetic simile； Ethel？〃
〃It will do。 This is an age of matter； a material symbol is the proper
thing。〃
〃I am glad to hear she has dissolved her mind in Stanhope's；〃 said
Judge Rawdon。 〃Dora's intellect in itself is childish。 What did the man see
in her that he should desire her？〃
〃Father； you never can tell how much brains men like with their beauty。
Very little will do generally。 And Dora has beauty great beauty； no one
can deny that。 I think Dora is giving up a great deal。 To her； at least；
marriage is a state of passing from perfect freedom into the comparative
condition of a slave； giving up her own way constantly for some one else's
way。〃
〃Well； Ethel； the remedy is in the lady's hands。 She is not forced to
marry； and the slavery that is voluntary is no hardship。 Now； my dear； I
have a case to look over； and you must excuse me to…night。 To…morrow we
shall know more concerning Mr。 Mostyn； and it is easier to talk about
certainties than probabilities。〃
But if conversation ceased about Mr。 Mostyn； thought did not； for； a
couple of hours afterwards； Ethel tapped at her aunt's door and said； 〃Just
a moment； Ruth。〃
〃Yes； dear； what is it？〃
〃Did you notice what father said about the mortgage on Rawdon
Manor〃'
〃Yes。〃
〃He seemed to know all about it。〃
〃I think he does know all about it。〃
〃Do you think he holds it？〃
〃He may do soit is not unlikely。〃
〃Oh！ Then Mr。 Fred Mostyn； if he is to inherit Rawdon； would like the
mortgage removed？〃
〃Of course he would。〃
〃And the way to remove it would be to marry the daughter of the
holder of the mortgage？〃
〃It would be one way。〃
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The Man Between
〃So he is coming to look me over。 I am a matrimonial possibility。 How
do you like that idea； Aunt Ruth？〃
〃I do not entertain it for a moment。 Mr。 Mostyn may not even know of
the mortgage。 When men mortgage their estates they do not make
confidences about the matter； or talk it over with their friends。 They
always conceal and hide the transaction。 If your father holds the mortgage；
I feel sure that no one but himself and Squire Rawdon know anything
about it。 Don't look at the wrong side of events； Ethel； be content with the
right side of life's tapestry。 Why are you not asleep？ What are you
worrying about？〃
〃Nothing； only I have not heard all I wanted to hear。〃
〃And perhaps that is good for you。〃
〃I shall go and see grandmother first thing in the morning。〃
〃I would not if I were you。 You cannot make any excuse she will not
see through。 Your father will call on Mr。 Mostyn to…morrow； and we shall
get unprejudiced information。〃
〃Oh； I don't know that； Ruth。 Father is intensely American three
hundred and sixty… four days and twenty…three hours in a year； and then in
the odd hour he will flare up Yorkshire like a conflagration。〃
〃English； you mean？〃
〃No。 Yorkshire IS England to grandmother and father。 They don't think
anything much of the other counties； and people from them are just
respectable foreigners。 You may depend upon it； whatever grandmother
says of Mr。 Fred Mostyn； father will believe it； too。〃
〃Your father always believes whatever your grandmother says。 Good
night； dear。〃
〃Good night。 I think I shall go to grandmother in the morning。 I know
how to manage her。 I shall meet her squarely with the truth； and
acknowledge that I am dying with curiosity about Mr。 Mostyn。〃
〃And she will tease and lecture you； say you are ‘not sweetheart high
yet； only a little maid；' and so on。 Far better go and talk with Dora。 To…
morrow she will need you； I am sure。 Ethel； I am very sleepy。 Good night
again； dear。〃
〃Good night！〃 Then with a sudden animation； 〃I know what to do； I
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shall tell grandmother about Dora's marriage。 It is all plain enough now。
Good night； Ruth。〃 And this good night； though dropping sweetly into the
minor third； had yet on its final inflection something of the pleasant
hopefulness of its major keyit expressed anticipation and satisfaction。
What happened in the night session she could not tell； but she awoke
with a positive disinclination to ask a question about Mr。 Mostyn。 〃I have
received orders from some one；〃 she said to Ruth； 〃I simply do not care
whether I ever see or hear of the man again。 I am going to Dora； and I may
not come home until late。 You know they will depend upon me for every
suggestion。〃
In fact； Ethel did not retur