"What makes you think so?" he inquired laconically.
"Oh, many things," answered his sister, taking courage a little.
"Many things!" rejoined Mr. Scriven, "that is the refuge of the destitute. Let me hear one or two of these things."
"Why, you know, my dear brother, one judges from what one sees," said Lady Fleetwood; "women's eyes are sharp in such matters."
Mr. Scriven was well-nigh tempted to condemn women's eyes in the vernacular; but he never swore, or used imprecations of any kind; and therefore he asked, simply--
"But what have the sharp eyes seen?"
"I have seen them talking together, you know, and all that," answered his sister.
"So have I," answered the merchant; "and I have seen her and half-a-dozen young men talking, and all that."
"Well, but then her looks and her manner," said Lady Fleetwood, driven to the wall; "and, besides, I have had some conversation with her upon the subject."
"And she told you that she intended to marry him?" demanded Mr. Scriven; "is not that the plain truth?"