But Faith only said, "Leave me alone ... leave me alone," till at last she was taken at her word, and the girl went downstairs to whisper and tremble with the other maids in the kitchen. Forrester came in about eleven o'clock. He brought Mr. Shawyer with him, and went straight to his study and shut the door. Faith's room was immediately above it, and she could hear their voices for some time--talking, talking. Presently the maid came tapping at her door. "Can Mr. Shawyer speak to you, please, ma'am?" Faith rose mechanically and went downstairs and into the study. Forrester was not there, but the lawyer rose from his seat at the table as she entered. His face was cold and stern, but it softened a little as he looked at her, and he held out his hand. "Come and sit down." He spoke gently, as if to a child, but Faith shook her head. "What do you want me for?" He did not answer at once, and she asked dully: "Is it true that Peg--Peg is ... dead? Or--or did I dream it?" "It is quite true," Mr. Shawyer said. Her brown eyes searched his face. "She died saving your husband's life, Mrs. Forrester. He was waylaid by a gang of roughs, and...." Faith made a little silencing gesture. The blood had rushed back to her white face; she did not want to hear any more. Peg had saved the Beggar Man's life. It gave her a stab of bitterest jealousy. "Well ... well, what do you want me for?" she asked again presently. Mr. Shawyer hated the task that had been entrusted to him. "Your husband asked me to see you," he said reluctantly. "He wished me to tell you that he is ... going abroad as soon as he can arrange it--within the next few days possibly. He has settled a very generous income on you and your little sisters for life! A most generous income, which, he asked me to say, he hopes will in some measure make amends for your--your ... unfortunate marriage, for which he blames himself entirely." Faith listened, but the words sounded like so much foolishness, and after waiting a moment Mr. Shawyer went on again, not looking at her. "He also asked me to say that as soon as it is possible he will set you free, without annoyance or unpleasantness to yourself." He stopped again and raised his eyes apologetically. The girl's face was pathetic in its shocked pallor, and she broke out with wild incoherence, unconsciously using the very same words which the Beggar Man had once spoken to her. "But ... but it's not possible to stop being married, like that, for no reason!" Mr. Shawyer smiled cynically. "No reason," he echoed. "Well...." and he shrugged his shoulders. There was a long silence; then Faith asked with stiff lips: "And is that--all?" "I think so, unless there is anything you would suggest, any request you have to make." "No." She stood there, twisting her hands together childishly, trying to understand the thing that had fallen upon her; then suddenly she broke out passionately: