that the property which Lizzie was
called upon to restore was held to be objectionable by Lord Fawn
simply because it had reached Lizzie from the hands of her late
husband. "What do you think of such conduct as that?" asked Lady
Eustace.

"Won't it do if you lock them up instead of wearing them?" asked
Lucy.

"I have never dreamed of wearing them."

"I don't understand about such things," said Lucy, determined not to
impute any blame to one of the Fawn family.

"It is tyranny, sheer tyranny," continued the other, "and he will
find that I am not the woman to yield to it. No. For love I could
give up everything;--but nothing from fear. He has told me in so many
words that he does not intend to go on with his engagement!"

"Has he indeed?"

"But I intend that he shall. If he thinks that I am going to be
thrown over because he takes ideas of that kind into his head, he's
mistaken. He shall know that I'm not to be made a plaything of like
that. I'll tell you what you can do for me, Lucy."

"What can I do for you?"

"There is no one in the world I trust more thoroughly than I do you,"
said Lizzie,--"and hardly any one that I love so well. Think how long
we have known each other! And you may be sure of this;--I always have
been, and always will be, your friend with my cousin Frank."

"I don't want anything of that kind," said Lucy,--"and never did."

"Nobody has so much influence with Frank as I. Just do you write to
me to-morrow, and the next day,--and the day after,--a mere line, you
know, to tell me how the land lies here."

"There would be nothing to tell."

"Yes, there will; ever so much. They will be talking about me every
hour. If you'll be true to me, Lucy, in this business, I'll make you
the handsomest present you ever saw in your life. I'll give you a
hundred-guinea brooch;--I will, indeed. You shall have the money, and
buy it yourself."

"A what!" said Lucy.

"A hundred guineas to do what you please with!"

"You mean thing!" said Lucy. "I didn't think there was a woman so
mean as that in the world. I'm not surprised now at Lord Fawn. Pick
up what I hear, and send it you in letters,--and then be paid money
for it!"

"Why not? It's all to do good."

"How can you have thought to ask me to do such a thing? How can you
bring yourself to think so badly of people? I'd sooner cut my hand
off; and as for you, Lizzie--I think you are mean and wicked to
conceive such a thing. And now good-bye." So sayin