's will and disabled it. She trembled from head to
foot--and gave way.

She walked up to her cousin.

"Fanny, is there any letter--anything of grandpapa's--or of my
mother's--that you could show me?"

"No! It was a promise, I tell you--there was no writing. But my mother
could swear to it."

The girl faced her cousin without flinching. Diana sat down again, white
and tremulous, the moment of energy, of resistance, gone. In a wavering
voice she began to explain that she had, in fact, been inquiring into
her affairs, that the money was not actually at her disposal, that to
provide it would require an arrangement with her bankers, and the
depositing of some securities; but that, before long, it should be
available.

Fanny drew a long breath. She had not expected the surrender. Her eyes
sparkled, and she began to stammer thanks.

"Don't!" said Diana, putting out a hand. "If I owe it you--and I take it
on your word--the money shall be paid--that's all. Only--only, I wish
you had not written to me like that; and I ask that--that--you will
never, please, speak to me about it again!"

She had risen, and was standing, very tall and rigid, her hands pressing
against each other.

Fanny's face clouded.

"Very well," she said, as she rose from her seat, "I'm sure I don't want
to talk about it. I didn't like the job a bit--nor did mother. But if
you are poor--and somebody owes you something--you can't help trying to
get it--that's all!"

Diana said nothing. She went to the writing-table and began to arrange
some letters. Fanny looked at her.

"I say, Diana!--perhaps you won't want me to stay here after--You seem
to have taken against me."

Diana turned.

"No," she said, faintly. Then, with a little sob: "I thought of nothing
but your coming."

Fanny flushed.

"Well, of course you've been very kind to me--and all that sort of
thing. I wasn't saying you hadn't been. Except--Well, no, there's one
thing I _do_ think you've been rather nasty about!"

The girl threw back her head defiantly.

Diana's pale face questioned her.

"I was talking to your maid yesterday," said Fanny, slowly, "and she
says you're going to stay at some smart place next week, and you've been
getting a new dress for it. And you've never said a _word_ to me about
it--let alone ask me to go with you!"

Diana looked at her amazed.

"You mean--I'm going to Tallyn!"

"That's it," said Fanny, reproachfully. "And you know I don't get a lot
of