interrupted him.

"I don't care a farthing more about Canada!" he flashed out. "I have
made up my mind. If you really meant what you said to-day, I will marry
your niece, and I don't care whether she has a penny or no."

The financier's plans had indeed culminated with a rush!

But he expressed no surprise, merely raised his eyebrows mildly and
puffed some blue rings of smoke, as he answered:

"I always mean what I say, only I do not care for people to do things
blindly. Now that you have seen my niece are you sure she would suit
you? I thought, after all, perhaps not, to-night: she is certainly a
difficult person. It would be no easy task for any man to control
her--as a wife."

[Illustration: "The whole expression of her face changed as he came and
leaned upon the piano."]

"I don't care for tame women," Lord Tancred said. "It is that very
quality of difficulty which has inspired me. By George! did you ever see
such a haughty bearing? It will take a man's whole intelligence to know
which bit to use."

"She may close her teeth on whatever bit you use, and bolt with it. Do
not say afterwards that I let you take her blindly."

"Why does she look at me with such hate?" Lord Tancred was just going to
ask--and then he stopped himself. It was characteristic of him that now