his cheeks.

"You are Miss Obenreizer's guardian," pursued Vendale. "I ask you to
confer upon me the greatest of all favours--I ask you to give me her hand
in marriage."

Obenreizer dropped back into his chair. "Mr. Vendale," he said, "you
petrify me."

"I will wait," rejoined Vendale, "until you have recovered yourself."

"One word before I recover myself. You have said nothing about this to
my niece?"

"I have opened my whole heart to your niece. And I have reason to hope--"

"What!" interposed Obenreizer. "You have made a proposal to my niece,
without first asking for my authority to pay your addresses to her?" He
struck his hand on the table, and lost his hold over himself for the
first time in Vendale's experience of him. "Sir!" he exclaimed,
indignantly, "what sort of conduct is this? As a man of honour, speaking
to a man of honour, how can you justify it?"

"I can only justify it as one of our English institutions," said Vendale
quietly. "You admire our English institutions. I can't honestly tell
you, Mr. Obenreizer, that I regret what I have done. I can only assure
you that I have not acted in the matter with any intentional disrespect
towards yourself. This said, may I ask you to tell me plainly what
objection you see to favouring my suit?"