"Thank you for your candor," he remarked. "In such a case as yours the plain truth is best, although it is hardly palatable. Your father is an absolutely ruined man. He can not possibly repay the six thousand pounds which he has borrowed. He obtained the money from my client by mortgaging the Firs to him. Now my client's distinct instructions are to sell, and realize what we can. The property has gone much to seed. I doubt if we shall get back what was borrowed; at any rate, land, house, furniture, all must go." "Thank you--you have indeed spoken plainly," said Frances. "One question more: when must you sell?" "In three months from now. Let me see; this is July. The sale will take place early in October." Frances had been sitting. She now rose to her feet. "And there is really no way out of it?" she said, lingering for a moment. "None; unless your father can refund the six thousand pounds." "He told me, Mr. Spens, that if the Firs is sold he will certainly die. He is an old man, and feeble now. I am almost sure that he speaks the truth when he says such a blow will kill him." "Ah! painful, very," said the lawyer. "These untoward misfortunes generally accompany rash speculation. Still, I fear--I greatly fear--that this apprehension, if likely to be realized, will not affect my client's resolution." "Would it," said Frances, "would it be possible to induce your client to defer the sale till after my father's death? Indeed--indeed--indeed, I speak the truth when I say I do not think he will have long to wait for his money. Could he be induced to wait, Mr. Spens, if the matter were put to him very forcibly?" "I am sure he could not be induced, Miss Kane; unless, indeed, you could manage to pay the interest at five per cent. on his six thousand pounds. That is, three hundred a year." "And then?" Frances's dark eyes brightened. "I would ask him the question; but such a thing is surely impossible." "May I have a week to think it over? I will come to you with my decision this day week." "Well, well, I say nothing one way or another. You can't do impossibilities, Miss Kane. But a week's delay affects no one, and I need not go on drawing up the particulars of sale until I hear from you again." Frances bowed, and left the office without even shaking hands with Mr. Spens. "She's a proud woman," said the lawyer to himself, as he watched her driving away. "She looks well, too, when her eyes flash, and she puts on that haughty air. Odd that she should be so fond of that cantankerous old father. I wonder if the report is true which I heard of an Australian lover turning up for her. Well, there are worse-looking women than Frances Kane. I thought her very much aged when she first came into the office, but when she told me that she didn't much like me, she looked handsome and young enough."