“To wait until I care for you?” she said, in the tone of a person who is making a bargain, a hard bargain. “That’s it,” he assented, with feverish eagerness. “I’m content if you’ll only promise to--to try and think of me as your husband. I know you won’t go from your word.” “No, I shall not go from my word,” she said, slowly. “No, I know that, I know I can trust you, and that is the reason I am so anxious to get you to say that you will be my wife.” “I see,” she said, her lovely eyes looking beyond him into vacancy. “You are easily satisfied, Mr. Bradstone.” “Am I?” he retorted, nervously. “I don’t think I am.” “Yes,” she said, dreamily, pushing the hair from her forehead as if it were a heavy burden; “there are so many girls who would be so glad to hear what--what you have said to me; so many! Better, prettier girls than I am.” “I don’t know any better or prettier,” he said, curtly. “There is no one in all the world that I have ever thought of speaking to----” “You are very rich,” she said, breaking in upon his protestations with calm self-possession. “Rich? Yes, I’m rich. I told you so--I didn’t exaggerate. If it is money you want----” “I do want money!” she said, calmly. “You promised, offered me, how much?” “You shall have all you want,” he replied, promptly. “I’m not a mean man; no one has ever called me that. I’ll settle forty, fifty thousand pounds----” “Settle,” she said; “what does that mean?” “It means for your own use; tied to you----” She thought a moment. “How much is it that--that my father owes?” she asked. Her lips twitched. “Forty thousand, or thereabouts.” “You know, of course you know?” she asked, and her eyes dwelt upon his with a dull questioning. His face reddened. “I--I happen to know,” he answered. “Fifty thousand would clear him.” “It is a large sum of money,” she said; and she murmured, “Poor papa!” “It is,” he assented. “It’s a big sum, look at it as you will; but I’m ready----” “You will give it to me--give it to me unconditionally,” she interrupted in a low, clear voice. “Yes, I’ll give it to you the day we are married, and unconditionally. You can do what you like with it. Fling it in the gutter or--or--hand it over to the squire. It’s a large sum of money,”--slowly, reluctantly--“but it’s nothing to me. You don’t know--nobody knows--how rich I am. I’ve made money by the hatful; I’m making it now. You shall have everything you want; every wish, however extravagant, shall be gratified. I’ll make a settlement on you in addition to that----” She shook her head. “I want that sum, and no other,” she said, slowly. “I want that money to do what I like with.” “You shall have it!” he responded, eagerly. “And you are content?” she asked, her eyes resting on his face with a calm wonder that was more terrible than contempt. “You are satisfied with your bargain, content to buy me----” “Oh, Miss Olivia!” he cried, deprecatingly.