ch had poisoned your soul."

Again Rosamund bit her lip, and kept a short silence.

"It only shows," she said with some abruptness, "that I shall do better
not to speak of it at all, and let people think what they like of me.
If even _you_ can't understand."

Bertha stood still, and spoke in a changed voice.

"I understand very well--or think I do. I'm perfectly sure that you
could never have broken your engagement unless for the gravest
reason--and for me it is quite enough to know that. Many a girl ought
to do this, who never has the courage. Try not to worry about
explanations, the thing is done, and there's an end of it. I'm very
glad indeed you're going quite away; it's the best thing possible. When
do you start?" she added.

"In three days.--Listen, Bertha, I have something very serious to ask
of you. It is possible--isn't it?--that he may come to see you some
day. If he does, or if by chance you see him alone, and if he speaks of
me, I want you to make him think--you easily can--that what has
happened is all for his good. Remind him how often artists have been
spoilt by marriage, and hint--you surely could--that I am rather too
fond of luxury, and that kind of thing."

Bertha wore an odd smile.

"Trust me," she replied, "I will blacken you most effectually."

"You promise? But, at the same time, you will urge him to be true to
himself, to endure poverty--"

"I don't know about that. Why shouldn't poor Mr. Franks have enough to
eat it he can get it?"

"Well--but you promise to help him in the other way? You needn't say
very bad things; just a smile, a hint--"

"I quite understand," said Bertha, nodding.

CHAPTER 13

Warburton had never seen Godfrey Sherwood so restless and excitable as
during these weeks when the business in Little Ailie Street was being
brought to an end, and the details of the transfer to Bristol were
being settled. Had it not been inconsistent with all the hopeful facts
of the situation, as well as with the man's temper, one would have
thought that Godfrey suffered from extreme nervousness; that he lived
under some oppressive anxiety, which it was his constant endeavour to
combat with resolute high spirits. It seemed an odd thing that a man
who had gone through the very real cares and perils of the last few
years without a sign of perturbation, nay, with the cheeriest
equanimity, should let himself be thrown into disorder by the mere
change to a more promising state of