"By Chaucer, I suppose," snapped the old man. "Don't you think I know my Shakespeare? What time will you call for Lucy?" "At half-past seven in the carriage with Mrs. Webber." "Your own carriage?" "I am not rich enough to afford one," said Julius, smiling. "Mrs. Webber's carriage, uncle. We will call for Lucy and bring her back safely at eleven or thereabouts." "Very good; but no suppers, mind. I don't approve of Mrs. Webber taking Lucy to the Cecil or the Savoy." "There is no danger of that, uncle," said Lucy, delighted at gaining permission. "I hope not," said the old man ungraciously. "You can go, Lucy. I want to speak to Julius." A look, unseen by the baronet, passed between the two, and then Lucy left the room. When alone, Sir Simon turned to his nephew. "Where is Bernard?" he asked. A less clever man than Julius would have fenced and feigned surprise, but this astute young gentleman answered at once. "He has enlisted in the Imperial Yeomanry and goes out to the war in a month." Sir Simon turned pale and rose. "He must not--he must not," he said, considerably agitated. "He will be killed, and then--" "What does it matter?" said Julius coolly--"you have disinherited him--at least, I understand so." "He defied me," shivered the baronet, warming his hands again and with a pale face; "but I did not think he would enlist. I won't have him go to the war. He must be bought out." "I think he would refuse to be bought out now," said Beryl, dryly. "I don't fancy Bernard, whatever his faults, is a coward." "My poor boy!" said Sir Simon, who was less hard than he looked. "It is your fault that this has happened, Julius." "Mine, uncle?" "Yes. You told me about Miss Malleson." "I knew you would not approve of the match," said Julius, quietly. "And you wanted me to cut off Bernard with a shilling--" "Not for my own sake," said Julius, calmly. "You need not leave a penny to me, Sir Simon." "Don't you want the money? It's ten thousand a year." "I should like it very much," assented Beryl, frankly; "but I do not want it at the price of my self-respect." The old man looked at him piercingly, but could learn nothing from his inscrutable countenance. But he did not trust Julius in spite of his meek looks, and inwardly resolved to meet craft by craft. He bore a grudge against this young man for having brought about the banishment of his grandson, and felt inclined to punish him. Yet if Julius did not want the money, Sir Simon did not know how to wound him. Yet he doubted if Julius scorned wealth so much as he pretended; therefore he arranged how to circumvent him. "Very well," he said, "since Bernard has disobeyed me, you alone can be my heir. You will have the money without any loss of your self-respect. Come with me this morning to see Durham." "I am at your service, uncle," said Julius, quietly, although his eyes flashed. "But Bernard?" "We can talk of him later. Come!"