"Then I don't believe a word of it. It's quite out of the question. It's
impossible. I'm quite sure your brother understands his position as a
gentleman too thoroughly to dream of such a thing."

This was Greek to Fred Neville. Why his brother should not fall in love
with a pretty girl, and why a pretty girl should not return the feeling,
without any disgrace to his brother, Fred could not understand. His
brother was a Neville, and was moreover an uncommonly clever fellow.
"Why shouldn't he dream of it?"

"In the first place--. Well! I did think, Fred, that you yourself seemed
to be,--seemed to be taken with Miss Mellerby."

"Who? I? Oh, dear no. She's a very nice girl and all that, and I like
her amazingly. If she were Jack's wife, I never saw a girl I should so
much like for a sister."

"It is quite out of the question. I wonder that you can speak in such a
way. What right can your brother have to think of such a girl as Miss
Mellerby? He has no position;--no means."

"He is my brother," said Fred, with a little touch of anger,--already
discounting his future earldom on his brother's behalf.

"Yes;--he is your brother; but you don't suppose that Mr. Mellerby would
give his daughter to an officer in the Engineers who has, as far as I
know, no private means whatever."

"He will have,--when my mother dies. Of course I can't speak of doing