hesitation into the morning-room. There, her
father's words had smoothed the way for her:
there, the first shock of the surprise was past
and over, and only the pleasure of it remained.
Her mother had been her age once; her mother
would know how fond she was of Frank. So the
coming interview was anticipated in her thoughts;
and — except that there was an unaccountable
appearance of restraint in Mrs. Vanstone's first
reception of her — was anticipated aright. After
a little, the mother's questions came more and
more unreservedly from the sweet, unforgotten
experience of the mother's heart: she lived
again through her own young days of hope and
love in Magdalen's replies.

The next morning, the all-important decision
was announced in words. Mr. Vanstone took
his daughter up-stairs into her mother's room,
and there placed before her the result of the
yesterday's consultation, and of the night's
reflection which had followed it. He spoke with
perfect kindness and self-possession of manner
—but in fewer and more serious words than usual;
and he held his wife's hand tenderly in his own,
all through the interview.

He informed Magdalen that neither he nor her
mother felt themselves justified in blaming her
attachment to Frank. It had been, in part
perhaps, the natural consequence of her childish
familiarity with him; in part, also, the result of
the closer intimacy between them which the
theatrical entertainment had necessarily
produced. At the same time, it was now the duty
of her parents to put that attachment, on both
sides, to a proper test— for her sake, because her
happy future was their dearest care; for Frank's
sake, because they were bound to give him the
opportunity of showing himself worthy of the
trust confided in him. They were both
conscious of being strongly prejudiced in Frank's
favour. His father's eccentric conduct had
made the lad the object of their compassion and
their care, from his earliest years: he (and his
younger brothers) had almost filled the places to
them of those other children of their own whom
they had lost. Although they firmly believed
their good opinion of Frank to be well founded—
still, in the interest of their daughter's happiness,
it was necessary to put that opinion firmly to the
proof, by fixing certain conditions, and by
interposing a year of delay between the contemplated
marriage and the present time.

During that year, Frank was to remain at the
office in London; his employers being informed
beforehand that family circumstances prevented
his accepting their offer of employment in China.
He was to consider this concession as a recognition
of the attachment between Magdalen and
himself, on certain terms only. If, during the
year of probation, he failed to justify the confidence
placed in him—a confidence which had led
Mr. Vanstone to take unreservedly upon himself
the whole responsibility of Frank's future
prospects—the marriage scheme was to be
considered, from that moment, as at an end. If, on the
other hand, the result to which Mr. Vanstone
confidently looked forward, really occurred— if
Frank's probationary year proved his claim to
the most precious trust that could be placed in
his hands then, Magdalen herself should
reward him with all that a woman can bestow;
and the future which his present employers had
placed before him as the result of a five years'
residence in China, should be realised in one year's
time, by the dowry of his young wife.

As her father drew that picture of the future,
the outburst of Magdalen's gratitude could no
longer be restrained. She was deeply touched
— she spoke from her inmost heart. Mr.
Vanstone waited until his daughter and his wife
were composed again; and then added the last
words of explanation which were now left for
him to speak.

"You understand, my love," he said, "that I
am not anticipating Frank's living in idleness on
his wife's means? My plan for him is that he
should still profit by the interest which his
present employers take in him. Their knowledge
of affairs in the City will soon place a good
partnership at his disposal—and you will give him
the money to buy it out of hand. I shall limit
the sum, my dear, to half your fortune; and the
other half I shall have settled upon yourself.
We shall all be alive and hearty, I hope"—he
looked tenderly at his wife as he said those
words—"all alive and hearty at the year's end.
But if I am gone, Magdalen, it will make no
difference. My will—made long before I ever
thought of having a son-in-law—divides my
fortune into two equal parts. One part goes to
your mother; and the other part is fairly divided
between my children. You will have your share
on your wedding-day (and Norah will have hers
when she marries) from my own hand, if I live;
and under my will if I die. There! there! no
gloomy faces," he said, with a momentary return
of his every-day good spirits. "Your mother
and I mean to live and see Frank a great
merchant, I shall leave you, my dear, to enlighten
the son on our new projects, while I walk over
to the cottage—"

He stopped; his eyebrows contracted a little;
and he looked aside hesitatingly at Mrs.
Vanstone.

"What must you do at the cottage, papa?"
asked Magdalen, after having vainly waited for
him to finish the sentence of his own accord.

"I must consult Frank's father," he replied.
"We must not forget that Mr. Clare's consent is
still wanting to settle this matter. And as time
presses, and we don't know what difficulties he
may not raise, the sooner I see him the better."

He gave that answer in low, altered tones;
and rose from his chair in a half-reluctant,
half-resigned manner, which Magdalen observed with
secret alarm.

She glanced inquiringly at her mother. To
all appearance, Mrs. Vanstone had been alarmed
by the change in him also. She looked anxious
and uneasy; she turned her face away on the