might try--"

"Try what?" said Alvina.

"To make some sort of compound. Perhaps you might retain a lease of
Miss Pinnegar's work-rooms. Perhaps even something might be done
about the cinematograph. What would you like--?"

Alvina sat still in her chair, looking through the window at the ivy
sprays, and the leaf buds on the lilac. She felt she could not, she
could not cut off every resource. In her own heart she had
confidently expected a few hundred pounds: even a thousand or more.
And that would make her _something_ of a catch, to people who had
nothing. But now!--nothing!--nothing at the back of her but her
hundred pounds. When that was gone--!

In her dilemma she looked at the lawyer.

"You didn't expect it would be quite so bad?" he said.

"I think I didn't," she said.

"No. Well--it might have been worse."

Again he waited. And again she looked at him vacantly.

"What do you think?" he said.

For answer, she only looked at him with wide eyes.

"Perhaps you would rather decide later."

"No," she said. "No. It's no use deciding later."

The lawyer watched her with curious eyes, his hand beat a little
impatiently.

"I will do my best," he said, "to get what I can for you."

"Oh well!" she said. "Better let everything go. I don't _want_ to
hang on. Don't bother about me at all. I shall go away, anyhow."

"You will go away?" said the lawyer, and he studied his
finger-nails.

"Yes. I shan't stay here."

"Oh! And may I ask if you have any definite idea, where you will
go?"

"I've got an engagement as pianist, with a travelling theatrical
company."

"Oh indeed!" said the lawyer, scrutinizing her sharply. She stared
away vacantly out of the window. He took to the attentive study of
his finger-nails once more. "And at a sufficient salary?"

"Quite sufficient, thank you," said Alvina.

"Oh! Well! Well now!--" He fidgetted a little. "You see, we are all
old neighbours and connected with your father for many years.
We--that is the persons interested, and myself--would not like to
think that you were driven out of Woodhouse--er--er--destitute.
If--er--we could come to some composition--make some arrangement
that would be agreeable to you, and would, in some measure, secure
you a means of livelihood--"

He watched Alvina with sharp blue eyes. Alvina looked back at him,
still vacantly.

"No--thanks awfully!" she said. "But don't bother. I'm going away."

"With the travelling theatrical company?"