sy--which was entirely unreasonable--had arranged to rob me of my
income by preventing my marriage with you, I ceased to have any regard
for him. Hubert knew that I loved you, and was content to take me on
those terms so long as I was loyal to him. I _was_ loyal, and did what
I could to show him gratitude for the way in which he helped the family.
Now his will has broken the bargain I respect him no longer, and for
that reason I refuse to pose any longer as a grieving widow."

"I wonder, with these thoughts, that you posed at all," said Lambert
gloomily, and pushed forward a chair.

"I could not make up my mind until lately what to do," explained Agnes,
sitting down gracefully, "and while I accepted his money it appeared to
me that I ought to show his memory the outward respect of crape and all
the rest of it. Now," she leaned forward and spoke meaningly, "I am
resolved to surrender the money. That breaks the link between us. The
will! the will!" she tapped an impatient foot on the carpet. "How could
you expect any woman to put up with such an insult?"

Lambert dropped on the sofa and looked at her hard. "What's up?" he
asked anxiously. "I never saw you like this before."

"I was not free when you last saw me," she replied dryly.

"Oh, yes; you were a widow."

"I mean free, in my own mind, to marry you. I am now. I don't intend to
consider the family or society, or Mr. Silver's threats, or anything
else. I have shaken off my fetters; I have discarded my ring." She
violently pulled off her glove to show that the circle of gold was
absent. "I am free, and I thank God that I am free."

"Agnes! Agnes! I can't reduce you to poverty by marrying you. It would
not be honorable of me."

"And would it be honorable on my part for me to keep the money of a man
I despise because his will insults me?" she retorted.

"We argued all this before."

"Yes, we did, and concluded to wait until we saw how the estates could
be freed before we came to any conclusion."

"And do you see now how the estates can be freed without using Pine's
money, Agnes?" asked Lambert anxiously.

"No. Things are ever so much worse than I thought. Garvington can hold
out for another year, but at the end of twelve months the estates will
be sold up by the person whose name is in the sealed envelope, and he
will be reduced to some hundreds a year. The Lamberts!" she waved her
arm dramatically, "are ruined, my dear; entirely ruined!"

"And for the sim