"I shall see her, nevertheless," said Braden doggedly.

"It is my desire that you should. In fact, I shall make it my business to
see that you do. After that, I fancy you will not care to remain here for
the wedding. I should advise you to return to London as soon as you have
had it out with her."

"I shall remain here until the very hour of the wedding if it is to take
place, and up to that very hour I shall do my best to prevent it,
grandfather."

"Your failure to do so will make me the happiest man in New York," said
Mr. Thorpe, emotion in his voice, "for I love you dearly, Braden."




CHAPTER V


A conspicuous but somewhat unimportant member of the Tresslyn family was a
young man of twenty-four. He was Anne's brother, and he had preceded her
into the world by the small matter of a year and two months. Mrs. Tresslyn
had set great store by him. Being a male child he did not present the
grave difficulties that attend the successful launching and disposal of
the female of the species to which the Tresslyn family belonged. He was
born with the divine right to pick and choose, and that is something that
at present appears to be denied the sisters of men. But the amiable
George, at the age of one and twenty and while still a freshman in
college, picked a girl without consulting his parent and in a jiffy put an