th his anger if I did not obey him. Before he left me,
I believe I found my voice to tell him that he should
certainly have the money which he required. And so he
shall. I will go to Mr Round myself, and insist on its
being done. My money is my own, and I may do with it as
I please. But I hope,--I am obliged to hope, that I may
never be made to see my cousin again.

I will not pretend to express any opinion as to the cause
of all this. It is very possible that you will not believe
all I say,--that you will think that I am mad and have
deluded myself. Of course your heart will prompt you to
accuse me rather than him. If it is so, and if there must
therefore be a division between us, my grief will be
greatly increased; but I do not know that I can help it.
I cannot keep all this back from you. He has cruelly
ill-used me and insulted me. He has treated me as I should
have thought no man could have treated a woman. As regards
money, I did all that I could do to show that I trusted
him thoroughly, and my confidence has only led to
suspicion. I do not know whether he understands that
everything must be over between us; but, if not, I must
ask you to tell him so. And I must ask you to explain to
him that he must not come again to Queen Anne Street. If
he does, nothing shall induce me to see him. Tell him also
that the money that he wants shall assuredly be sent to
him as soon as I can make Mr Round get it.

Dearest Kate, good-bye. I hope you will feel for me.
If you do not answer me I shall presume that you think
yourself bound to support his side, and to believe me to
have been wrong. It will make me very unhappy; but I shall
remember that you are his sister, and I shall not be angry
with you.

Yours always affectionately,

ALICE VAVASOR.

Kate, as she read her letter through, at first quickly, and then
very slowly, came by degrees almost to forget that death was in the
house. Her mind, and heart, and brain, were filled with thoughts and
feelings that had exclusive reference to Alice and her brother, and
at last she found herself walking the room with quick, impetuous
steps, while her blood was hot with indignation.

All her sympathies in the matter were with Alice. It never occurred
to her to disbelieve a word of the statement made to her, or to
suggest to herself that it had been coloured by any fears or
exaggera