course," observed his friend. "While
he lived, Boldero contrived to keep going his own version, I'm told; and
they sealed up the girl as tight as wax to prevent her telling
tales--but every one knows now. So you think he was crowing over Maud's
marriage too? Well, well, what would he have said to this?"

They then talked of Major Foster. Major Foster had behaved like a
gentleman, taken himself quietly out of the way, and made no fuss. Mr.
Anthony Boldero thought he was probably well out of the connection; the
Boldero girls were too big for their boots, and Maud was the worst of
them. All the same, no man likes to be jilted.

"Is it the case that your nephew has had nothing left him by his
grandmother?--" he suddenly demanded, having disposed of Paul.

"He's not my full nephew, you know; he's only my half-brother's son.
And, fact is, the old lady had nothing, or next to nothing to leave. Her
money was all jointure, and reverts to the estate."

"And you have come in for Claymount free and unencumbered, as I have for
the Boldero property? Ah!" said his companion, thoughtfully.

Presently he looked up. "Suppose between us we do something for those
two lunatics, Purcell? We can't let them starve, eh? Suppose we make a
bit of a purse, and ship them off to the colonies? British Columbia, eh?
That's the only place for them and their sort; and if they can be put on
a decent footing there, they won't be in a hurry to come back again. Eh?
What d'ye say? I'm willing, if you are. I have no great affection for
these relatives of mine, but after all, they _are_ relatives, and blood
is thicker than water."

"Well--yes;" said Mr. Purcell, dubiously. He had been mentally putting
off this evil day, uneasily conscious that it was bound to come.

"The general was the worst of the lot," proceeded his companion; "the
most arrogant, conceited, humbugging, old swelled-head I ever came
across. But he's gone, and the poor girls--well, I'm sorry for them. Sue
is a good creature. I hardly know the younger ones,--but none of them
have given me any trouble since I had to deal with them. Except for this
scandal of Maud's of course--and anyhow that doesn't affect _me_. Well,
what about her and her precious husband? You are bound to do something
for him, I suppose?"

And it ended in Mr. Purcell's doing it.

Before Maud sailed, it was necessary for her to take leave of her
sisters, and this was Leonore's worst time. Till then she had been
shie