to say good-by to you, Sis. I'm going away to-night! Don't
speak to me, for I'm not in a mood for argument! Do you think that I
could stand by Grandfather's grave to-morrow, when I know he has
disinherited me? I tell you, I can't. I'm not going to stay and hear the
will read! If I'm kicked out of the property, at least I'll keep my
dignity. Why, everybody on the estate believed I was the heir! Only this
afternoon, Rogerson, the new under-gardener, asked me to keep him on,
and Hicks said he'd serve me as faithfully as he'd served the old
Squire. How could I face the servants when they knew the Chase wasn't
mine after all! The humiliation would be intolerable! No! I've all the
Ingleton pride in me, and if I'm not to be master here, I'll shake the
dust of the place off my feet for ever. Grandfather will have made some
provisions for you younger ones; he always promised to do that, and it's
right you should take it, but as for me, if he's left me anything, I
don't mean to touch a penny of it--it must be all or nothing! You others
are welcome to my share, whatever it is. I'm going out into the world to
earn my own living."

He spoke forcibly, and with desperate earnestness. To Lilias, watching
him anxiously, he seemed in these few hours to have changed from a boy
into a man. Eager words rose to her lips, but he stood up and stopped
her.

"I've told you it's no use arguing! My mind's absolutely made up. I've
ordered Elton to have the small car ready, and to drive me to Balderton
to catch the midnight express to town. It's the last order I shall give
in this house. He looked surprised, but he didn't dare to question me.
To-morrow everybody will know that I've no more authority here than the
kids. I'll be far away by then, thank goodness."

"But, Everard, what are you going to do in London? How can you earn your
own living?" pressed Lilias.

"Sweep a crossing, or go to sea! I don't care two-pence what happens to
me. Good-by, Sis, I'm off! You may tell the others to-morrow, if you
like. No, I won't promise to write! You'll be better without me. I've
closed this chapter of my life completely, and I'm going to begin a
different one. The two won't bear mixing up."

Giving his sister a hasty kiss, Everard left the room and walked softly
away down the passage. A few minutes later, Lilias heard the sound of
wheels, and, looking through the window, saw the rear lights of the car
disappearing down the drive, and away across the par