and is sure to lead to blunders, and there must be no blunders now."

Stopping abruptly before his daughter, he said, "He has proposed for
your hand."

An expression of disgust flitted across Edith's face, and she replied
quickly:

"We both have surely but one answer to such a proposition from
_him_."

"Edith, you seem to have more sense in regard to business and such
matters than most young ladies. I must now test you, and it is for you
to show whether you are a woman or a shallow-brained girl. I am sorry
to tell you these things. They are not suited to your age or sex, but
there is no help for it," and he explained how he was situated.

Edith listened with paling cheek, dilating eyes, and parting lips, but
still with rising courage and a growing purpose to help her father.

"I do not wish you to marry this villain," he continued. "Heaven
forbid!" (Not that Mr. Allen referred this or any other matter to
Heaven; it was only a strong way of expressing his own disapproval.)
"But we must manage to temporize and keep this man at bay till I can
extricate myself from my difficulties. As soon as I stand on firm
ground I will defy him."

To Edith, with her standard of morality, the course indicated by her
father seemed eminently filial and praiseworthy. The thought of
marrying Mr. Fox made her flesh creep, but a brief flirtation was