Dick bowed his head and fixed his eyes upon the dahlias on the ground.

“Don’t tread on the poor things,” she said, “and don’t despair.  All you have to do is to let me put a curbed bit on you, and for you to consent to wear it for a little while.  See,” said she, moving her hands in the air, as if they were engaged upon the bridle of a horse, “I fasten this chain rather closely, and buckle the ends of the reins in the lowest curb.  Now, you must have a steady hand and a resolute will until the time comes when the curb is no longer needed.”

“And do you believe that time will come?” he asked.

“It will come,” she said, “when two things happen; when she has reason to love you, and has no reason to object to you; and, in my opinion, that happy combination may arrive if you act sensibly.”

“But—­” said Dick.

At this moment a quick step was heard on the garden-path and they both turned.  It was Olive.

“Mr. Lancaster,” she cried, “I want you; that is, if Mrs. Easterfield can spare you.  We are making up a game of tennis.  Mr. Du Brant and Mr. Hemphill are there, but I can not find Mr. Locker.”

Mrs. Easterfield could spare him, and Dick Lancaster, with the curbed chain pressing him very hard, walked away with Olive Asher.

CHAPTER XXIII

The Captain and Maria.

When the captain drove into Glenford on the day when his mind had been so much disturbed by Dick Lancaster’s questions regarding a marriage between him and Maria Port, he stopped at no place of business, he turned not to the right nor to the left, but went directly to the house of his old friend with whom he had spent the night before.

Mr. Simeon Port was sitting on his front porch, reading his newspaper.  He looked up, surprised to see the captain again so soon.

“Simeon,” said the captain, “I want to see Maria.  I have something to say to her.”

The old man laid down his newspaper.  “Serious?” said he.

“Yes, serious,” was the answer, “and I want to see her now.”

Mr. Port reflected for a moment.  “Captain,” said he, “do you believe you have thought about this as much as you ought to?”

“Yes, I have,” replied the captain; “I’ve thought just as much as I ought to.  Is she in the house?”

Mr. Port did not answer.  “Captain John,” said he presently, “Maria isn’t young, that’s plain enough, considerin’ my age; but she never does seem to me as if she’d growed up.  When she was a girl she had ways of her own, and she could make water bile quick, and now she can make it bile just as quick as ever she did, and perhaps quicker.  She’s not much on mindin’ the helm, Captain John, and there’re other things about her that wouldn’t be attractive to husbands when they come to find them out.  And if I was you I’d take my time.”

“That’s just what I intend to do,” said the captain.  “This is my time, and I am going to take it.”