’My dear,’ answered Orange, ’do you know what a Cornish compliment is? "Take this, it is of no more use to me." If these had been genuine diamonds you would have kept them for yourself; they would have been far too valuable to be parted with lightly. No one gives away anything but what is worthless. Look at Trecarrel’s china jar. He got it cheap because it was faulty. He gave it to mother because he was bound to make her a present; if she had been worth money, he would not have sent her a worthless gift, but because she has nothing he sends her a nothing. That is the way of the world.’ ’The stones form part of a set my father sent from Brazil to my mother in Paris.’ ’Nevertheless they are imitations,’ said Orange. ’I took them to the jeweller here, because, you see, my dear, if they had been diamonds, I could not have accepted such a costly present from you, but he unhesitatingly pronounced them to be paste. That, however, does not matter to me; it justifies my accepting and keeping the charming present, which will always be valued by me, not for the intrinsic worth, but as a memorial of your love.’ ’Give me the pendant instantly,’ said Mirelle, full of pride and anger. ’It is impossible that my father, a diamond merchant, could have offered my dear suffering mother such an insult as to send her a set of sham diamonds.’ She took the ornament, and went at once to the jeweller. She came away resentful and humbled. ’That Mr. Strange should have dared!’ Not for a moment did it occur to her that perhaps her mother had sold the stones, and replaced them with paste. *CHAPTER XXIV.* *THE OXENHAM ARMS.* As the time for his marriage approached, Captain Trecarrel’s uneasiness increased. On his way back to Launceston from Exeter he got off the coach at Whiddon Down, determined to have another look at Ophir. He had heard a good deal about Ophir in Exeter, and not much in its favour. His lawyer whom he had consulted had a rich fund of reminiscences concerning Tramplara. Lawyers as a rule are not squeamish, but there was something about old Tramplara which was not to the taste of the solicitor Trecarrel employed. He had been engaged in a Cornish mining action in which his client had prosecuted Tramplara; a good deal had transpired on this occasion not encouraging to those about to transact business with Mr. Tramplara. Much had come out, but more had not come out, but was perfectly well known to those engaged in the case. ’My advice to you is, give a wide berth to the man.’ ’I am going to marry his daughter,’ answered Trecarrel, ruefully. ’Oh!’—a pause ensued. ’How about settlements?’ ’I am all right there,’ said the Captain; ’till five thousand pounds is paid down, I do not put my neck into the noose. They may bring me to the altar, but I will fold my arms and sit down on the steps. They cannot legally marry a man against his will.’