IF Norah had dropped a bombshell on the floor of the room, she could scarcely have caused more consternation to show itself in the faces of Mr. Pym and her mother than did her announcement that she would be wife to Jim or no man. Perhaps Jim himself was scarcely less surprised than they were. He was quite conscious of the fact that he was placed in a delicate as well as an awkward position. He was poor and in a sense friendless, while arrayed against him was a combination of wealth and power. Nevertheless, if Norah declared for him, he was prepared to fight his way through sea and land, and face his foes with a front of brass for her sake. That was his feeling at that moment.
Mrs. Lacey was the first to speak. Opening her eyes, and elevating her brows to their fullest possible extent as i
