"You have the right to do nothing," broke in her father desperately. "See here, my girl, you are making a great mistake by not letting me guide you. Had you been open about that amethyst cross, I should never have allowed you to give it to George Walker. Its possession means more than you think. The two thousand a year depends upon its production." "Oh!" Lesbia opened her eyes widely. "I see. Then you are willing that I should marry George if you get this two thousand." "Yes," said Hale bluntly, "but for circumstances which do not concern you--I prefer that you should marry Sargent." "Marriage with anyone concerns me a great deal," said Lesbia coolly, "and I decline to marry a man I do not love. As to the cross: it was my own property left to me by my mother, and if its production will bring me two thousand a year I am very sorry it is lost." "I did not say that it meant two thousand a year to _you_," said Hale uneasily, and with a scowl. "Pardon me, father. I assume that, since I am the owner of the cross. However, it is lost and neither I nor you know where to find it. That being the case I refuse to marry Captain Sargent and shall marry George." "You have sent him away: you forget that." "I can bring him again to my feet." "Lesbia Lesbia! you are playing with fire." "Probably, but I shall continue to play until you tell me the meaning of all these things." "I have told you about the cross----" "Quite so," interrupted the girl drily, "and I now know why George was assaulted and his mother's cottage robbed." "You dare to say that I am the guilty person," demanded her father suspiciously. "Oh no. If you were, you would have the cross; and thus being able to get the two thousand a year, you would not oppose my marriage with George. You are innocent!" "Thank you for nothing," sneered Hale coolly, "but you can reckon on this, Lesbia, that if I could have knocked down George and have robbed him of the cross I should have done so." "That is candid, father." "You asked me to be candid. But, hold your tongue, or else talk sense. You must marry Sargent. I shall not allow you to throw yourself away on that thief, and----" "Stop!" cried Lesbia, rising indignantly, "you shall not call George names in my hearing. He is no thief." "Can you prove that?" It was on the tip of the girl's tongue to speak out and accuse Tait. But she first desired to see Maud Ellis in order to cut her claws, and therefore, with a self-restraint far beyond her years, she shook her head. Hale sneered again, "You are a silly romantic fool," he scoffed, "and sooner or later I shall force you to do my will." "Never! Never! Never!" "Oh, very well," replied Hale, baffled by her obstinacy, "then I shall go to London and leave you here. I shall not speak to you, or eat with you, or have anything to do with you, until you obey me as a daughter should," and turning on his heel, he departed in cold anger.