'Ihe Leather Plater, 321 



plain gold ring without a gem would suit her much better. She 

 never showed the ring to the other girls, who, however, had begun 

 "to chaff" her about her conquest. 



In less than a month the baronet invited her to his house, and 

 not being troubled with any false notions of propriety, Annie went. 

 The old officer was a fine honourable old man, and he at once, in 

 the most delicate terms, proposed to marry her. He never hinted 

 in the slightest at the disparity of rank that there was between 

 them. He plainly told her that he would probably be a sad burden 

 to her during his life, but that he should not live long, and that if 

 she conld only cheer and comfort his declining days, he shouJd in 

 return leave her every shilling Ik-; possessed. He had not a relative 

 in the world, and could and would do exactly as he pleased. 



Annie did not take long to consider. '' Better be an old man's 

 darling than a young man's slave," she tliought. She accepted his 

 offer ; left the station at once ; they were married by special lice.Mce 

 off-hand ; and although she had not attained to the rank of a 

 countess, she had married a baronet, a distinguished and brave old 

 officer, whose property was immense. She did her duty faith- 

 fully to her decrepit old husband, who in return denied her 

 nothing. 



Annie well befitted the station to which she had been elevated, 

 ^nd had she been born a lady in her own right, she could not have 

 been a greater ornament to the peerage. 



" There, thank goodness, we've done with Miss Annie," I fancy 

 I hear the reader exclaim ; " and now, perhaps, we shall have a 

 little more about the Leather Plater." And for tliis purpose we 

 must go back for about nine months, and return again to the little 

 parlour at Shark's Lodge. 



As soon as lunch was over, and I had settled with old Radford 

 for the colt, I left. I was not particularly anxious to wait till Mr, 

 Turner arrived. Just, however, as I turned out of the end of the 

 lane, which led from the Lodge into the bridle-road across the Open- 

 iield; I saw that gentleman picking his way up the dirty lane to 

 the Lodge from the village. *' Too late, my friend," I thought j 



Y 



