“Not so, Mr. Dalton,” Mr. Felton said, with dignity; for he longed to pommel the man for speaking so to the beautiful girl before him. “I can appreciate Miss Editha’s feelings; she not only wishes to befriend this unfortunate young man on her own account, but she believes that after to-day the ten thousand dollars are no longer hers. Richard Forrester gave the sum from his own property before it became hers, to young Wayne, and, if you refuse to allow her to settle it upon him, _you_ are not only committing a wrong, but forcing her to commit one also.” “Do I understand that you two are trying to make me out a thief?” demanded Mr. Dalton, hoarsely. “It is an ugly word; but, morally speaking, I should say it was the right one to use in this case; legally, however, since there was no codicil to the will, I suppose Miss Dalton is entitled to everything,” Mr. Felton observed, dryly, with a scornful curve of his lip. Mr. Dalton for a moment was too enraged to reply; then he burst forth: “I will see him in —— before he shall ever touch a penny of her money! That is my ultimatum.” Mr. Felton, upon this, turned to Editha, who was standing, very pale, by the table. Her father’s anger and words had shocked her beyond expression; but they had also aroused some of the reserve force of her character. “In that case, Miss Editha, my services are not needed here to-day. I suppose I shall destroy the document I have prepared?” “_No, sir!_ Keep it if you please.” “Keep it! What for, pray?” demanded her father, with a sneer. She turned to him very quietly, but with a mien which he was learning to dread, and said, in low, firm tones: “I shall be twenty-one, sir, in a little less than a year, and, according to the law of the land, my own mistress. I shall not then need to obtain the consent of any one in order to do as I like with my money. On the twentieth of November next Earle Wayne will receive his ten thousand dollars, _with a year’s interest added_. That is the best I can do.” Then, without waiting for Mr. Dalton to reply, and wholly ignoring his dark looks, she turned to Mr. Felton, with one of her charming smiles, and said: “We will drop our business for to-day; and, as there is the lunch-bell, won’t you come out and try the merits of a cup of coffee and a plate of chicken salad?” The lawyer regarded her with a gleam of admiration in his fine old eyes; he had not thought she possessed so much character.