What did he take her for? a dissembling schemer, who had not been sincere in her rejection of the Brand estate, and whom he must fawn upon in order to win his own from her greedy clutch? "I have nothing to do with your reformation, Colonel Brand," she said, with cold formality. "My duty is plain to me, whatever you are. I shall require no prompting to do it." His eyes sparkled. For the first time he looked frankly at her, and seemed at ease. "I am relieved to hear you say so, Miss Walsingham," he said, with something of the old free air; "for I was not inclined to quarrel with you about my grandmother's disposition of the property. I should be sorry to return to the angry feelings which I at first was fool enough to indulge in against you; for I must admit that I am very much more agreeably impressed with you to-day than I was that morning in the library in Castle Brand. So, suppose we let by-gones drop, and begin on a friendly footing." "I repeat that your changed feelings have nothing to do with my duty," said Margaret, coldly. "It can make no difference whether you regard me with toleration or indifference, I shall do you justice." He stared suspiciously at her, and one or two wary wrinkles lined his forehead. "You don't mean to say that you are going to offer me some paltry compensation instead of submitting quietly to the terms of the will?" demanded he. She turned a look of splendid scorn upon him. Could he not find it in his soul to conceive of strict justice? Did he not know the meaning of generosity? How mean, then, was his heart, which ascribed such abject meanness to her? "No; I did not think of that," said she. "You shall have every shilling of your property, Colonel Brand." "By Jove, you amaze me!" cried he, rising to approach near her. "Then you have decided to marry me, after all, and let us both have the lands?" His exultation shone out in his evil countenance, and sent him hastily across the room to take her hand. But Margaret shrank back, and with a strong frown waved him away. What had frozen the generous words on her lips? Why did she let him rush to every conclusion but the right one? She had come into his presence to say: "I freely give up my claim upon your property, and place the deeds entirely in your hands, wishing no further connection with it, or with you; and so--farewell!" But here she sat, chilled, bitter at heart, coolly asking herself: "Is it well for me to be too hasty? Since I have been so utterly mistaken in the character of this man, may I not be mistaken in rashly following out my first impulse regarding his grandmother's property? Yes, I am rash. I will wait a while before I make my intention known." "I must know you better, sir, before I can form a just opinion of you," said she. "Perhaps we had better defer this matter until we have each had time to decide upon the wisest course?" "We have scarcely four months," said he, with a frown.