she did not keep her flirting for sly corners； nor did her admirers
keep their distance till mamma was out of the way。 It mattered not
to her who was present。 Had she been called on to make one at a
synod of the clergy of the island； she would have flirted with the
bishop before all his priests。 And there have been bishops in the
colony who would not have gainsayed her！
But Maurice Cumming did not rightly calculate all this； nor indeed
did Miss Jack do so as thoroughly as she should have done； for Miss
Jack knew more about such matters than did poor Maurice。 〃If you
like Marion； why don't you marry her？〃
Miss Jack had once said to him； and this coming from Miss Jack； who
was made of money； was a great deal。
〃She wouldn't have me；〃 Maurice had answered。
〃That's more than you know or I either；〃 was Miss Jack's reply。 〃But
if you like to try； I'll help you。〃
With reference to this； Maurice as he left Miss Jack's residence on
his return to Mount Pleasant； had declared that Marian Leslie was not
worth an honest man's love。
〃Psha！〃 Miss Jack replied； 〃Marian will do like other girls。 When
you marry a wife I suppose you mean to be master？〃
〃At any rate I shan't marry her；〃 said Maurice。 And so he went his
way back to Hanover with a sore heart。 And no wonder； for that was
the very day on which Lieutenant Ewing had asked the question about
the musk rose。
But there was a dogged constancy of feeling about Maurice which could
not allow him to disburden himself of his love。 When he was again at
Mount Pleasant among his sugar…canes and hogsheads he could not help
thinking about Marian。 It is true he always thought of her as flying
round that ball…room in Ewing's arms； or looking up with rapt
admiration into that young parson's face； and so he got but little
pleasure from his thoughts。 But not the less was he in love with
her；not the less； though he would swear to himself three times in
the day that for no earthly consideration would he marry Marian
Leslie。
The early months of the year from January to May are the busiest with
a Jamaica sugar…grower； and in this year they were very busy months
with Maurice Cumming。 It seemed as though there were actually some
truth in Miss Jack's prediction that prosperity would return to him
if he attended to his country； for the prices of sugar had risen
higher than they had ever been since the duty had been withdrawn； and
there was more promise of a crop at Mount Pleasant than he had seen
since his reign commenced。 But then the question of labour？ How he
slaved in trying to get work from those free negroes； and alas！ how
often he slaved in vain！ But it was not all in vain； for as things
went on it became clear to him that in this year he would； for the
first time since he commenced； obtain something like a return from
his land。 What if the turning…point had come； and things were now
about to run the other way。
But then the happiness which might have accrued to him from this
source was dashed by his thoughts of Marian Leslie。 Why had he
thrown himself in the way of that syren？ Why had he left Mount
Pleasant at all？ He knew that on his return to Spanish Town his
first work would be to visit Shandy Hall； and yet he felt that of all
places in the island； Shandy Hall was the last which he ought to
visit。
And then about the beginning of May； when he was hard at work turning
the last of his canes into sugar and rum； he received his annual
visit from Miss Jack。 And whom should Miss Jack bring with her but
Mr。 Leslie。
〃I'll tell you what it is；〃 said Miss Jack； 〃I have spoken to Mr。
Leslie about you and Marian。〃
〃Then you had no business to do anything of the kind；〃 said Maurice；
blushing up to his ears。
〃Nonsense；〃 replied Miss Jack； 〃I understand what I am about。 Of
course Mr。 Leslie will want to know something about the estate。〃
〃Then he may go back as wise as he came； for he'll learn nothing from
me。 Not that I have anything to hide。〃
〃So I told him。 Now there are a large family of them； you see； and
of course he can't give Marian much。〃
〃I don't care a straw if he doesn't give her a shilling。 If she
cared for me； or I for her； I shouldn't look after her for her
money。〃
〃But a little money is not a bad thing； Maurice；〃 said Miss Jack； who
in her time had had a good deal； and had managed to take care of it。
〃It is all one to me。〃
〃But what I was going to say is thishumha。 I don't like to
pledge myself for fear I should raise hopes which mayn't be
fulfilled。〃
〃Don't pledge yourself to anything； aunt； in which Marian Leslie and
I are concerned。〃
〃But what I was going to say is this； my money； what little I have；
you know； must go some day either to you or to the Leslies。〃
〃You may give all to them if you please。〃
〃Of course I may； and I dare say I shall；〃 said Miss Jack； who was
beginning to be irritated。 〃But at any rate you might have the
civility to listen to me when I am endeavouring to put you on your
legs。 I am sure I think about nothing else； morning； noon； and
night； and yet I never get a decent word from you。 Marian is too
good for you； that's the truth。〃
But at length Miss Jack was allowed to open her budget； and to make
her proposition； which amounted to thisthat she had already told
Mr。 Leslie that she would settle the bulk of her property conjointly
on Maurice and Marian if they would make a match of it。 Now as Mr。
Leslie had long been casting a hankering eye after Miss Jack's money；
with a strong conviction however that Maurice Cumming was her
favourite nephew and probable heir； this proposition was not
unpalatable。 So he agreed to go down to Mount Pleasant and look
about him。
〃But you may live for the next thirty years； my dear Miss Jack；〃 Mr。
Leslie had said。
〃Yes； I may；〃 Miss Jack replied； looking very dry。
〃And I am sure I hope you will；〃 continued Mr。 Leslie。 And then the
subject was allowed to drop； for Mr。 Leslie knew that it was not
always easy to talk to Miss Jack on such matters。
Miss Jack was a person in whom I think we may say that the good
predominated over the bad。 She was often morose； crabbed； and self…
opinionated。 but then she knew her own imperfections； and forgave
those she loved for evincing their dislike of them。 Maurice Cumming
was often inattentive to her； plainly showing that he was worried by
her importunities and ill at ease in her company。 But she loved her
nephew with all her heart； and though she dearly liked to tyrannise
over him； never allow herself to be really angry with him； though he
so frequently refused to bow to her dictation。 And she loved Marian
Leslie also； though Marian was so sweet and lovely and she herself so
harsh and ill…favoured。 She loved Marian； though Marian would often
be impertinent。 She forgave the flirting； the light…heartedness； the
love of amusement。 Marian； she said to herself； was young and
pretty。 She； Miss Jack； had never known Marian's temptation。 And so
she resolved in her own mind that Marian should be made a good and
happy woman；but always as the wife of Maurice Cumming。
But Maurice turned a deaf ear to all these good tidingsor rather he
turned to them an ear that seemed to be deaf。 He dearly； ardently
loved that little flirt； but seeing that she was a flirt； that she
had flirted so grossly when he was by； he would not confess his love
to a human being。 He would not have it known that he was wasting his
heart for a worthless little chit； to whom every man was the same
except that those were most eligible whose toes were the lightest and
their outside trappings the brightest。 That he did love her he could
not help； but he would not disgrace himself by acknowledging it。
He was very civil to Mr。 Leslie； but he would not speak a word that
could be taken as a proposal for Marian。 It had been part of Miss
Jack's plan that the engagement should absolutely be made down there
at Mount Pleasant； without any reference to the young lady； but
Maurice could not be induced to break the ice。 So he took Mr。 Leslie
through his mills and over his cane…pieces； talked to him about the
laziness of the 〃niggers；〃 while the 〃niggers〃 themselves stood by
tittering； and rode with him away to the high grounds where the
coffee plantation had been in the good old days； but not a word was
said between them about Marian。 And yet Marian was never out of his
heart。
And then came the day on which Mr。 Leslie was to go back to Kingston。
〃And you won't have her then？〃 said Miss Jack to her nephew early
that morning。 〃You won't be said by me？〃
〃Not in this matter； aunt。〃
〃Then you will live and die a poor man； you mean that； I suppose？〃
〃It's likely enough that I shall。 There's this comfort； at any rate；
I'm used to it。〃 And then Miss Jack was silent again for a while。
〃Very well； sir； that's enough；〃 she said angrily。 And then she
began again。 〃But； Maurice； you wouldn't have to wait for my death；
you know。〃 And she put out her hand and touched his arm； entreating
him as it were to yield to her。 〃Oh； Maurice；〃 she said； 〃I do so
want to make you comfortable。 Let us speak to Mr。 Leslie。〃
But Maurice would not