ishment meted out to her? She ought to be here in your place,
Miss Keys; she ought to be here in my place. You and I are not wanted in
this establishment."

"Oh, why do you say that? Mrs. Aylmer must have a companion."

"Well, you can please yourself, of course; but I cannot stay to see
injustice done to another."

"You cannot force Mrs. Aylmer to leave her money except where she
pleases. She dislikes Miss Aylmer; she will have nothing to do with her,
and she will be very angry with you. You refuse the money and you do not
make things any better for Miss Aylmer. Mrs. Aylmer can leave her money
to charities. It is easily disposed of."

Trevor sat quite still, gazing out into the summer night. After a pause
he walked towards the window and closed it. He fastened the bolts and
drew down the blinds; then he turned to Bertha and held out his hand.

"I thought you could have counselled me, but I see you are not on my
side," he said. "Good night."

"There is only one thing I must add," said Bertha.

"What is that?"

"If you deliberately choose to injure yourself you must not injure me."

"What do you mean by that? How can I possibly injure you?"

"You can say what you like with regard to Florence Aylmer, but you must
not mention one fact."

"What is that?"

"That I happen to know her."

"What do you mean?"

"I do not choose to say what I mean. I trust to your honour not to
injure a woman quite as dependent and quite as penniless as Florence
Aylmer. I have secured this place, and I wish to stay here. If you are
mad, I am sane. I ask you not to mention to Mrs. Aylmer that I know
Florence; otherwise, you must go your own gait."

"I will, of course, respect your confidence, but I do not understand
you."

"Some day you will, and also what a great fool you are making of
yourself," was Bertha's next remark.

She sailed past him out of the room and up to her own bed-room.

CHAPTER XXV.

TREVOR'S RESOLVE.

If Trevor had a fault it was obstinacy. He stayed awake for a short
time, but finally dropped asleep, having made up his mind, of course,
not to injure Bertha Keys, whom he could not understand in the least,
but to have, as he expressed it, a sober talk with Mrs. Aylmer. He saw
that Bertha, for reasons of her own, was very much against this course,
and he resolved to keep out of her way. He rose early and went for a
long ride before breakfast. He did not return until he knew Bertha would
be busy ove