“It is a comfort, isn’t it?  Well, now, listen to me.  Fathers sometimes delay a girl’s happiness; but they don’t often destroy it; they don’t go and break her heart as some mothers do.  A mother that is resolved to have her own way brings another man forward; fathers are too simple to see that is the only way.  And then a designing mother cajoles the poor girl and deceives her, and does a number of things a man would call villainies.  Don’t you fret your heart out for so small a thing as a father’s opposition.  You are sure to tire him out if he loves you, and if he doesn’t love you, or loves money better, why, then, he is not a worthy rival to my cousin Walter, for that man really loves you, and would marry you if you had not a penny.  So would Percy Fitzroy marry me.  And that is why I prefer him to the grenadiers and plungers with silky mustaches, and half an eye on me and an eye and a half on my money.”

Many other things passed between these two, but what we have endeavored to repeat was the cream of Julia’s discourse, and both her advice and her sympathy were for the time a wonderful comfort to the love-sick, solitary girl.

But our business is with Walter Clifford.  As soon as he was announced, Mr. Bartley dismissed his rugged visitors, and received Walter affably, though a little stiffly.

Walter opened his business at once, and told him he had come to ask his permission to court his daughter.  He said he had admired her from the first moment, and now his happiness depended on her, and he felt sure he could make her happy; not, of course, by his money, but by his devotion.  Then as to making a proper provision for her—­

Here Bartley stopped him.

“My young friend,” said he, “there can be no objection either to your person or your position.  But there are difficulties, and at present they are serious ones.  Your father has other views.”

“But, Mr. Bartley,” said Walter, eagerly, “he must abandon them.  The lady is engaged.”

“Well, then,” said Bartley, “it will be time to come to me when he has abandoned those views, and also overcome his prejudices against me and mine.  But there is another difficulty.  My daughter is not old enough to marry, and I object to long engagements.  Everything, therefore, points to delay, and on this I must insist.”

Bartley having taken this moderate ground, remained immovable.  He promised to encourage no other suitor; but in return he said he had a right to demand that Walter would not disturb his daughter’s peace of mind until the prospect was clearer.  In short, instead of being taken by surprise, the result showed Bartley quite prepared for this interview, and he baffled the young man without offending him.  He was cautious not to do that, because he was going to mine for coal, and feared remonstrances, and wanted Walter to take his part, or at least to be neutral, knowing his love for Mary.  So they parted good friends; but when he retailed the result to Julia Clifford she shook her head, and said the old fox had outwitted him.  Soon after, knitting her brows in thought for some time, she said, “She is very young, much younger than she looks.  I am afraid you will have to wait a little, and watch.”