I caution you not to dispose, under that will, of
anything of which Mr. Bertram may have died possessed." And so
saying, he took up his hat, and left the house.

And what would he have done had Bertram told him that Lady Harcourt
was staying at Mr. Jones's, in the red brick house on the other side
of the Green? What can any man do with a recusant wife? We have often
been told that we should build a golden bridge for a flying enemy.
And if any one can be regarded as a man's enemy, it is a wife who is
not his friend.

After a little while, Sir Lionel went away with Mr. Pritchett.
Bertram asked them both to stay for dinner, but the invitation was
not given in a very cordial manner. At any rate, it was not accepted.

"Good-bye, then, George," said Sir Lionel. "I suppose I shall see you
before I leave town. I must say, you have made a bad affair of this
will."

"Good-bye, Mr. George; good-bye," said Mr. Pritchett. "Make my
dutiful compliments to Miss Baker--and to the other lady."

"Yes, I will, Mr. Pritchett."

"Ah, dear! well. You might have had it all, instead of the
fishmongers' children, if you had chosen, Mr. George."

And we also will say good-bye to the two gentlemen, as we shall not
see them again in these pages. That Mr. Pritchett will live for the
remainder of his days decently, if not happily, on his annuity, may
be surmised. That Sir Lionel, without any annuity, but with a fair
income paid from the country's taxes, and with such extra pecuniary
aid as he may be able to extract from his son, will continue to live
indecently at Littlebath--for he never again returned to active
service--that also may be surmised. And thus we will make our bows to
these old gentlemen--entertaining, however, very different feelings
for them.

And soon afterwards Mr. Stickatit also went. Some slight, necessary
legal information as to the executorship was first imparted; Sir
Henry's threats were ridiculed; the good fortune of the fishmongers
was wondered at, and then Mr. Stickatit took his hat. The four
gentlemen no doubt went up to London by the same train.

In the evening, Miss Baker and Lady Harcourt came back to their own
house. It was Miss Baker's own house now. When she heard what her old
friend had done for her, she was bewildered by his generosity. She,
at any rate, had received more than she had expected.

"And what does he mean to do?" said Caroline.

"He says that he will dispute the will. But that, I take it,