"Why, what an unreasonable little pet it is!" he cried, disarming the girl's resentment with a few caresses. "And the sooner master knows you are engaged to me the better," she said, with a sob. "And then you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that my father has quarrelled with me, and altered his will, so that everything goes to my brother. He may marry you then, for I couldn't. I shouldn't have a penny to help myself. Oh yes; go and tell. I believe you want to get hold of him now." The girl gave him a piteous look, and tried to catch his hand, but he avoided her touch, and laughed sneeringly. "I don't want to be hard and bitter," he said, "but I'm not blind." She looked up at him reproachfully. "You don't mean what you are saying," she whispered sadly, "so I shan't fret about that." "You don't believe me," he said, in a low voice, as he fixed the girl with his eyes, glorying in the knowledge that he had thoroughly subdued her, and that she was his to mould exactly as he willed, to obey him like a slave. "Then you may believe this, that I have told you before. All that has passed between us is our secret, and if you betray it and ruin my prospects, and make me a beggar, you may go and drown yourself as you threatened, for aught I care, for you will have wilfully cut everything between us asunder. Now we understand each other, and you had better go before any one comes." The girl stood gazing at him piteously now, with every trace of anger gone out of her eyes, and her tones, when she spoke, were those of appeal. "But, Jessop, dear." "Be quiet, will you," he said angrily. "Don't speak to me like that, dear," she whispered. "Only tell me you don't care for Miss Praed." "I won't answer such a baby's stupid questions. You know I only care for you." There was a sob, but at the same moment a look of hope to lighten a good deal of despair. "You are not angry with me, Jessop, dear?" "Yes, I am, very." "But you will forgive me, love?" "Anything, if you'll only be the dear, good, sensible little woman you used to be." "I will, dear--always," she whispered. "And fight for me, so that I may not lose." "Yes, dear, of course." "Can I trust you, Lyddy?" "Yes, dear." "Then, whatever happens, you will, for my sake, hold your tongue till I tell you to speak?" "Yes, if I die for it," she said earnestly. "I thought you would be sensible," he said, nodding at her. "Come, that's my pretty, wise little woman. Now go about your business, and wait for the bright days to come, when I shall be free to do as I like." "Yes, Jessop," she whispered, and after a sharp glance at the door she bent forward and kissed him quickly. "But there isn't anything between you and Miss Janet?" "Of course not," he cried. "As if there could be while you live." She nodded to him smiling, laid her finger on her lips to show that they were sealed, and then hurried out of the room.