l he
should cling to her. And then he added this passage: "If your love
for me be what I think it to be, no one can have a right to keep us
apart. Pray be sure that I shall not change. If you change let me
know it;--but I shall as soon expect the heavens to fall."

CHAPTER XXIV

"She Must Be Made to Obey"

Lady Mary Palliser down at The Horns had as much liberty allowed
to her as is usually given to young ladies in these very free days.
There was indeed no restriction placed upon her at all. Had Tregear
gone down to Richmond and asked for the young lady, and had Lady
Cantrip at the time been out and the young lady at home, it would
have depended altogether upon the young lady whether she would have
seen her lover or not. Nevertheless Lady Cantrip kept her eyes open,
and when the letter came from Tregear she was aware that the letter
had come. But the letter found its way into Lady Mary's hands and
was read in the seclusion of her own bed-room. "I wonder whether you
would mind reading that," she said very shortly afterwards to Lady
Cantrip. "What answer ought I to make?"

"Do you think any answer ought to be made, my dear?"

"Oh yes; I must answer him."

"Would your papa wish it?"

"I told papa that I would not promise not to write to him. I think
I told him that he should see any letters that there were. But if I
show them to you, I suppose that will do as well."

"You had better keep your word to him absolutely."

"I am not afraid of doing so, if you mean that. I cannot bear to give
him pain, but this is a matter in which I mean to have my own way."

"Mean to have your own way!" said Lady Cantrip, much surprised by the
determined tone of the young lady.

"Certainly I do. I want you to understand so much! I suppose papa can
keep us from marrying for ever and ever if he pleases, but he never
will make me say that I will give up Mr. Tregear. And if he does not
yield I shall think him cruel. Why should he wish to make me unhappy
all my life?"

"He certainly does not wish that, my dear."

"But he will do it."

"I cannot go against your father, Mary."

"No, I suppose not. I shall write to Mr. Tregear, and then I will
show you what I have written. Papa shall see it too if he pleases. I
will do nothing secret, but I will never give up Mr. Tregear."

Lord Cantrip came down to Richmond that evening, and his wife told
him that in her opinion it would be best that the Duke should allow
the young peopl