ninety pounds. I
refuse to pay it."

"I will give you until tomorrow morning to change your mind. When
Christine wrote you the letter, now in your hand, she had not a
sixpence in the world--her luck came with the money I took her. I do
not think she will ever require anyone's help again. Oh, how could you
grudge even your last penny to a sister like Christine?"

"She owes everything to me. I opened up her mind. I taught her to
speak good English. I----"

"'I borrowed all her life's savings, kept the money through the death
of her father, the severe illness of her mother, and the total absence
of anyone in her home to make money or in any way help her to bear the
burden and fatigue of her great strait.' You can tell me in the
morning what you propose to do."

Then she rose, and left the room, and Neil made no offer to detain
her. In fact he muttered to himself, "She is a little premature, but
it may be as well."

In the morning he rose while it was yet dark, and leaving word with a
servant that he was going to Dalkeith and might be away four days, or
longer, he left in the gloom of fog and rain, and early twilight, the
home he was never to enter again. He had grown accustomed to every
luxury and refinement in its well-ordered plenty, and he had not the
slightest intention of resigning its comfortable conditions, but he
had no conception of the kind of woman with whom he had now to deal.
The wives of Culraine, while dominant in business, gave to their men,
in the household, almost an unquestioned authority; and Neil had no
experience which could lead him to expect Roberta would, in any
essential thing, dare to disobey him. He even flattered himself that
in leaving her alone he had left her to anxiety and unhappiness, and
of course, repentance.

"I will just give her a little lesson," he said to himself,
complacently. "She gave me until this morning. I will give her four or
five days of solitary reflection, and no letters. No letters, Neil
Ruleson! I think that treatment will teach her other people have
rights, as well as herself."

Roberta did not appear to be disquieted by his absence. She sent a
messenger for her brother, and ate a leisurely, pleasant meal, with
the _Glasgow Herald_ for a companion; and before she had quite
finished it, Reginald appeared.

"Your early message alarmed me, Roberta," he said. "I hope all is well
with you, dear?"

"Indeed, Reggie, I don't know whether it is well, or ill. Sit d