An Old Man's Love Story

Although their means are limited, the Marshams put on a great show of wealth, but skimp themselves in real necessaries in order to keep up appearances. Mrs. Marsham is rather a cold, hard woman, and looks to her daughter Ethel to make a rich marriage and so help out the family. Neither she nor her husband look with favor on the suit of Cyril Blythe, a young man without prospects, but with whom Ethel is very much in love. The Marshams are visited by James Graythorne, an old friend, who has made a large fortune in East India trade, and who has recently retired. He very much admires Ethel and when he asks her parents for her hand they are greatly pleased. They coerce Ethel into accepting his proposal and pack Cyril off about his business. Greythorne had no idea that Ethel was not absolutely willing, but her manner leads him to suspect that something is not right. Meeting Ethel in the woods one day sobbing over a letter from Cyril, who says he is going to America, he asks her to confide in