-at any rate for some time."

"What would you do if he were to show himself here?" she asked.

"Tell him at once that he was not welcome. In other words, I would
not have him here. It is very improbable I should think that he would
come without a direct invitation from me. That invitation he will
never have until I feel satisfied that you and he have changed your
mind again, and that you mean to stick to it."

"I do not think we shall do that."

"Then he shall not come down here; nor, as far as I am able to
arrange it, shall you go up to London."

"Then I am a prisoner?"

"You may put it as you please," said her brother. "I have no power of
detaining you. Whatever influence I have I think it right to use. I
am altogether opposed to this marriage, believing it to be an absurd
infatuation. I think that he is of the same opinion."

"No!" said she, indignantly.

"That I believe to be his feeling," he continued, taking no notice
of her assertion. "He is as perfectly aware as I am that you two are
not adapted to live happily together on an income of a few hundreds
a year. Some time ago it was agreed between you that it was so. You
both were quite of one mind, and I was given to understand that the
engagement was at an end. It was so much at an end that he made
an arrangement for marrying another woman. But your feelings are
stronger than his, and you allowed them to get the better of you.
Then you enticed him back from the purpose on which you had both
decided."

"Enticed!" said she. "I did nothing of the kind!"

"Would he have changed his mind if you had not enticed him?"

"I did nothing of the kind. I offered to remain just as we are."

"That is all very well. Of course he could not accept such an offer.
Thinking as I do, it is my duty to keep you apart as long as I can.
If you contrive to marry him in opposition to my efforts, the misery
of both of you must be on your head. I tell you fairly that I do not
believe he wishes anything of the kind."

"I am quite sure he does," said Imogene.

"Very well. Do you leave him alone; stay down here, and see what will
come of it. I quite agree that such a banishment, as you call it,
is not a happy prospect for you;--but it is happier than that of a
marriage with Frank Houston. Give that up, and then you can go back
to London and begin the world again."

Begin the world again! She knew what that meant. She was to throw
herself into the market, and look for such other