Magdalen had recovered her powers of speech and she talked rapidly, begging Frank to be generous with Roger, to leave him Millbank, to let him stay in the beautiful home he loved so much. “Think of all he has done for you,” she said, clasping her hands upon his arm and looking at him with eyes from which the tears were dropping fast. “Were you his son he could hardly have done more; and he has been so kind to me,—me who have requited his kindness so cruelly. Oh, Roger, Roger, I would give my life to spare him this blow!” She covered her face with her hands, while Frank sat regarding her intently, his affection for her at that moment mastering every other emotion and making him indifferent to the great fortune which had so suddenly come to him. Love for Magdalen was the strongest sentiment of which he was capable, and it was intensified with the suspicion that Roger was preferred to himself. He could interpret her distress and concern for his uncle in no other way. Gratitude alone could never have affected her as she was affected, and Frank’s heart throbbed with jealousy and fear and intense desire to secure Magdalen for himself. There had been a momentary feeling of exultation when he thought of his poverty as a thing of the past, but Magdalen’s love was worth more to him than a dozen Millbanks, and in his excitement no sacrifice seemed too great which would secure it. “Oh, Roger, Roger, I would give my life to spare him this blow!” Magdalen had cried; and with these words still ringing in his ears, Frank said to her at last, “Magdalen, you need not give your life; there is a far easier way by which Roger can be spared the pain of knowing that Millbank is not his. He never need to know of this will; no one need to know of it but ourselves,—you and me, Magdalen. We will keep the secret together, shall we?” Magdalen had lifted up her head, and was listening to him with an eager, wistful expression in her face, which encouraged him to go on. “But, Magdalen, my silence must have its price, and that price is _yourself_!” She started from him then as if he had stung her, but soon resumed her former attitude, and listened while he continued: “I asked you once, and you refused me, and I meant to try and abide by your decision, but I cannot give you up; and when I found that Roger favored my suit and would be glad if you could give me a favorable answer, I resolved to try again, and came home this very afternoon with that object in view.” Frank stopped abruptly, struck with the look of anguish and pain and surprise which crept into Magdalen’s eyes as he spoke of “Roger’s favoring his suit.” “Roger consent; oh no, not that. Roger never wished that,” Magdalen exclaimed, in a voice full of bitter disappointment. “Did Roger wish it, Frank? _Did_ he say so, sure?”