, and not in accordance with her own
feelings; but still she had refused him. Afterwards, when she had
believed that there would be a sum of money coming to her from her
uncle's will, there had been room for possible doubt. Should the
money have proved sufficient to cause her to be a relief rather than
a burden to the husband, it might have been her duty to marry him,
seeing that she loved him with all her heart,--seeing that she was
sure of his love. There would have been much against it even then,
because she had refused him when she had been a grand lady; but, had
the money been forthcoming, there might have been a doubt. Now there
could be no doubt. Should she who had denied him her hand because
she was her uncle's heiress,--on that avowed ground alone,--should
she, now that she was a pauper, burden him with her presence? He,
no doubt, would be generous enough to renew his offer. She was well
aware of his nobility. But she, too, could be generous, and, as she
thought, noble. Thus it was that her spirit spoke within her, bidding
her subject all the sweet affections of her heart to a stubborn
pride.

The promised return, therefore, of Mr Owen did not make her very
happy.

"He will be here to-morrow," said her stepmother to her. "Mrs
Richards expects him by the late train to-night. I looked in there
yesterday and she told me." Mrs Richards was the respectable lady
with whom Mr Owen lodged.

"I dare say he will," said Isabel wearily--sorry, too, that Mr Owen's
goings and comings should have been investigated.

"Now, Isabel, let me advise you. You cannot be so unjust to Mr Owen
as to make him fancy for a moment that you will refuse your uncle's
money. Think of his position,--about two hundred and fifty a year
in all! With your two hundred added it would be positive comfort;
without it you would be frightfully poor."

"Do you think I have not thought of it?"

"I suppose you must. But then you are so odd and so hard, so unlike
any other girl I ever saw. I don't see how you could have the face to
refuse the money, and then to eat his bread."

This was an unfortunate speech as coming from Mrs Brodrick, because
it fortified Isabel in the reply she was bound to make. Hitherto the
stepmother had thought it certain that the marriage would take place
in spite of such maiden denials as the girl had made; but now the
denial had to be repeated with more than maiden vigour.

"I have thought of it," said Isabel,--"thought o