With the baby fingers clinging to his, what could Sir Edward say?

"Good-night; good-night, child! Now go."

"Say, 'God bless you!'" persisted the little one, and it was not till
her uncle muttered the desired words that she relinquished her hold and
followed the butler sedately out of the room.




CHAPTER II.


DAVID AND GOLIATH.

Sir Edward Wentworth was, as he expressed it, a "confirmed bachelor,"
and though during the autumn months he was quite willing to fill his
house with his London friends, he was better pleased to live the greater
part of the year in seclusion, occupying himself with looking after his
estate and writing articles for several of the leading reviews of the
day.

The advent of his small niece was indeed a great trial to him, but, with
his characteristic thoroughness, he determined that he would make the
necessary arrangements for her comfort. Accordingly he had a long
interview with her nurse the following morning. It proved to be
satisfactory. The nurse was a staid, elderly woman, who assured him she
was accustomed to the sole charge of the child, and would keep her