e able to avoid it later. You're here,
and some part will probably be forced on you. However, as I said, I think
you're right about Bella."

"But her money would be no great inducement to Gladwyne."

"That's not certain. Clarence has a way of squandering money, and you may
as well understand that there's very little to be derived from
agricultural property. George had his mother's money, but he left it to
Millicent; Clarence got only the land. That's what made a match between
them seem so desirable."

"Desirable!" Lisle broke out. "It's impossible! Not to be contemplated!"

"Yes," Nasmyth agreed quietly. "If necessary, it will have to be
prevented. I was only stating popular opinion."

There was something curious in his tone and Lisle looked hard at him.
Their eyes met full for a moment and the thoughts of each were clear to
the other.

"If anything must be done, it will fall to you," Nasmyth went on. "In
this case it would be particularly invidious for me to interfere. But, if
there had been nobody else, I'd have broken off the match."

Lisle made no comment, but there was comprehension and sympathy in his
expression, and Nasmyth nodded.

"Yes," he acknowledged; "it's an open secret that I would have looked for
nothing better than to marry Millicent Gladwyne." He paused with a slight
flush creeping into his bronzed face. "For all that, I knew some years
ago that I hadn't the faintest chance and never would have. I have her
confidence and friendship; that has to be enough."

"I think it's a good deal," said Lisle.

There was silence for a minute or two, and then Lisle asked a question:

"How could a girl like Millicent Gladwyne ever contemplate the
possibility of marrying Clarence?"

"It's puzzling to me. These things often are to outsiders. Still,
Clarence is a handsome man, and I think George was in favor of the match,
which would count with her. Then, in a way, she was always fond of
Clarence, and now that she has the money and he's far from prospering on
the land, the idea that she could set him firmly on his feet by sharing
her possessions with him may prove tempting. It's very much the sort of
thing that would appeal to her."

"You suggest that she isn't strongly attached to the man."

"I really believe she isn't; but, for all that, I'm sometimes afraid
she'll end by marrying him. It's very probable that she suspects some of
his faults, but I'm not sure they'd deter her. It would make her more
com