demonstration was over, and the company back in its chairs, Dalzell was
left standing. His bride-elect sat beside him, her elbow on the table,
her face shaded by her hand.

"On behalf of my dear wife that is to be," said Claud, with a quiet
mastery of himself that was in striking contrast to the old man's
agitation, "and as a grateful duty of my own, I beg to thank you
all, and especially Mr Pennycuick, for this great kindness--for your
generous sympathy with us in our present happiness. Mr Pennycuick seems
to have a doubt--natural to anyone in the circumstances, but
inevitable in a father--the father of such a daughter--as to my being
qualified to appreciate the gift he has just bestowed upon me; I can
assure him, and all of you, that I am overwhelmed with the sense of my
good fortune, and of my unworthiness of it. I am unworthy--I admit it;
but it shall be the business of my life to correct that fault--if it
is a fault, and not merely a misfortune that I cannot help. To the best
of my power I will prove--by deeds, not words--that I do know her
value." Deb's hand under the table here stole towards his that hung at
his side, and he stood holding it until he finished speaking. "Fortune
has been kind in granting me the means to surround her with material
comfort--to give so rare a jewel the setting appropriate to it; for
the rest, I must trust to her generosity. I feel quite safe in trusting
to it. We have known each other--I believe we have loved each other--
from childhood; I hope Mr Pennycuick will take that as some guarantee
that his little misgivings are unnecessary." The orator twisted his
moustache, and glanced down at the bowed head beside him. "She seems to
be a little taken aback by the suddenness of this public announcement,
but I can say that it does not come a moment too soon for me. Mr
Pennycuick has made me a proud man. I glory in my position as his
daughter's affianced husband; I wish to parade it as openly as