"'Your intentions may have been strictly honorable,' he retorted, 'but your behavior was abominable. Great heavens! Do you know that you could be prosecuted?' "'Nonsense!' I said stoutly, though my heart misgave me. 'What for?' "'What for? You, a plunderer of the dead, a harpy, a ghoul, ask what for?' "'But the thing was of no value!' I urged. "'Of no intrinsic value, perhaps, but of immense value under the peculiar circumstances. Why, if anyone chose to initiate a prosecution, you would be sent to jail as a common thief." "'Pardon me,' I said haughtily. 'You forget you are speaking to a lady. As such, I can never be more than a kleptomaniac. You might make me suffer from hysteria yesterday, but the worst that could befall me now would be a most interesting advertisement. Prosecute me and you will create for me an army of friends all over the world. If it is thus that lovers behave, it is better to have friends. I shall be glad of the exchange.' [Illustration: _I can never be more than a kleptomaniac._] "'You know I could not prosecute you,' he answered more gently. "'After your language to me you are capable of anything. Your uncle called you a rogue with his dying breath, and statements made with that are generally veracious. Prosecute me if you will--I have done you out of three thousand pounds and I am glad of it. Only one favor I will ask of you--for the sake of our old relations, give me fair warning!' "'That you may flee the country?' "'No, that I may get a new collection of photographs.' "'You will submit to being taken by the police?' "'Yes--after I have been taken by the photographer.' "'But look at the position you will be in?' "'I shall be in six different positions--one for each of the chief illustrated papers.' "'Your flippancy is ill-timed, Margaret,' said Richard sternly. "'Flippant, good heavens! Do you know me so little as to consider me capable of flippancy? Richard, this is the last straw. You have called me a thief, you have threatened to place me in the felon's dock, and I have answered you with soft words, but no man shall call me flippant and continue to be engaged to me!' "'But, Maggie, darling!' His tone was changing. He saw he had gone too far. 'Consider! It is not only I that am the loser by your--indiscretion, your generous indiscretion----' "'My indiscreet generosity,' I corrected. "He accepted my 'indiscreet generosity' and went on. 'Cannot you see that, as my future wife, you will also suffer?' "'But surely you will come in for something under your uncle's will all the same,' I reminded him. "'Not a stiver. He never made a will, he never saved any money. He was the most selfish brute that ever breathed. All the money he couldn't spend on himself he gave away in charity so as to get the kudos during his lifetime, pretending that there was no merit in post-mortem philanthropy. And now all the good he might have done by his death you have cancelled.'