Presently they were sitting by the fire, Muriel Colwood in a large arm-chair, a frail, fair creature, with her large dark-circled eyes, and her thin hands and arms; Diana kneeling beside her. "I had no idea what a poison poverty could be!" said Muriel, abruptly, with her gaze on the fire. "My cousin?" Diana looked up startled. "Was that what she was saying to you?" Muriel nodded assent. Her look--so anxious and tender--held, enveloped her companion. "Are they in debt?" said Diana, slowly. "Terribly. They seem to be going to break up their home." "Did she tell you all about it?" Mrs. Colwood hesitated. "A great deal more than I wanted to know!" she said, at last, as though the words broke from her. Diana thought a little. "I wonder--whether that was--what she came home for?" Mrs. Colwood moved uneasily. "I suppose if you are in those straits you don't really think of anything else--though you may wish to." "Did she tell you how much they want?" said Diana, quickly. "She named a thousand pounds!" Muriel might have been describing her own embarrassments, so scarlet had she become. "A thousand pounds!" cried Diana, in amazement. "But then why--why--does she have so many frocks--and play cards for money--and bet on races?" She threw her arms round Mrs. Colwood's knees impetuously. Muriel's small hand smoothed back the girl's hair, timidly yet eagerly. "I suppose that's the way they've been brought up." "A thousand pounds! And does she expect me to provide it?" "I am afraid--she hopes it." "But I haven't got it!" cried Diana, sitting down on the floor. "I've spent more than I ought on this place; I'm overdrawn; I ought to be economical for a long time. You know, Muriel, I'm not really rich." Mrs. Colwood colored deeper than ever. But apparently she could think of nothing to say. Her eyes were riveted on her companion. "No, I'm not rich," resumed Diana, with a frown, drawing circles on the ground with her finger. "Perhaps I oughtn't to have taken this house. I dare say it was horrid of me. But I couldn't have known--could I?--that Fanny would be coming and want a thousand pounds?" She looked up expecting sympathy--perhaps a little indignation. Mrs. Colwood only said: "I suppose she would not have come over--if things had not been _very_ bad." "Why didn't she give me some warning?" cried Diana--"instead of talking about French lessons! But am I bound--do _you_ think I am bound?--to give the Mertons a thousand pounds? I know papa got tired of giving them money. I wonder if it's _right_!" She frowned. Her voice was a little stern. Her eyes flashed. Mrs. Colwood again touched her hair with a hand that trembled. "They are your only relations, aren't they?" she said, pleadingly. "Yes," said Diana, still with the same roused look. "Perhaps it would set them on their feet altogether." The girl gave a puzzled laugh. "Did she--Muriel, did she ask you to tell me?"