condition, was laboriously planting geraniums. She had barely reached
him when Bella, in a state of fearsome glee, came down the garden to tell
the captain of his visitor.

[Illustration: "Bella, in a state of fearsome glee, came down the garden
to tell the captain of his visitor."]

"Who?" said the latter, sharply, as he straightened his aching back.

"Young Mr. Hardy," said Bella, impressively. "I showed 'im in; I didn't
ask 'im to take a chair, but he took one."

"Young Hardy to see me!" said the captain to his daughter, after Bella
had returned to the house. "How dare he come to my house? Infernal
impudence! I won't see him."

"Shall I go in and see him for you?" inquired Kate, with affected
artlessness.

"You stay where you are, miss," said her father. "I won't have him
speak to you; I won't have him look at you. I'll----"

He beat his dirty hands together and strode off towards the house. Jem
Hardy rose from his chair as the captain entered the room and, ignoring a
look of black inquiry, bade him "Good afternoon."

"What do you want?" asked the captain, gruffly, as he stared him straight
in the eye.

"I came to see you about your son's marriage," said the other. "Are you