He stood looking at her half a minute, with a slight smile upon his face, the frank, pleasant smile which belonged to him; then he turned, took a glass from the table and came to Mr. Copley's side to give him a draught which was due. Next he lifted his patient by the shoulders a little, to arrange the pillows behind him, and as he laid him back upon them he said quietly—"Will you give your daughter to me, Mr. Copley?"
Mr. Copley looked, or stared rather, grumly enough at the speaker.
"That means, you have got her already!"
"Not without your consent."
"I thought as much! Does Dolly want to marry you?"
"I do not know," said Sandie with a smile; "but I believe I may say that she will marry nobody else."
"Ay, there it is. I have other views for my daughter."
"And I thought you were engaged to Miss Thayer?" put in Mrs. Copley.
"True; I was; but that was a boyish mistake. We have all other views. Miss Thayer is to marry your friend, Mr. St. Leger."
"Christina!" cried Mrs. Copley. "Didn't I know Mrs. Thayer would do that, if she could! And now she has done it. And Christina has thrown you over?"