say whatever I please, miss. Will ten pounds do it, sir?"

"If you choose to buy the picture, the price will be seven hundred
and fifty," said Dalrymple with a smile, pointing to the fragments.

"Seven hundred and fifty pounds?" said the old woman.

"But I strongly advise you not to make the purchase," said Dalrymple.

"Seven hundred and fifty pounds! I certainly shall not give you seven
hundred and fifty pounds."

"I certainly think you could invest your money better, Mrs. Van
Siever. But if the thing is to be sold at all, that is my price. I've
thought that there was some justice in your demand that it should be
destroyed,--and therefore I have destroyed it."

Mrs. Van Siever had been standing on the same spot ever since she had
entered the room, and now she turned round to leave the room.

"If you have any demand to make, I beg that you will send in your
account for work done to Mr. Musselboro. He is my man of business.
Clara, are you ready to come home? The cab is waiting at the
door,--at sixpence the quarter of an hour, if you will be pleased to
remember."

"Mrs. Broughton," said Clara, thoughtful of her raiment, and
remembering that it might not be well that she should return home,
even in a cab, dressed as Jael; "if you will allow me, I will go into
your room for a minute or two."

"Certainly, Clara," said Mrs. Broughton, preparing to accompany her.

"But before you go, Mrs. Broughton," said Mrs. Van Siever, "it may be
as well that I should tell you that my daughter is going to become
the wife of Mr. Musselboro. It may simplify matters that you should
know this." And Mrs. Van Siever, as she spoke, looked hard at Conway
Dalrymple.

"Mamma!" exclaimed Clara.

"My dear," said Mrs. Van Siever, "you had better change your dress and
come away with me."

"Not till I have protested against what you have said, mamma."

"You had better leave your protesting alone, I can tell you."

"Mrs. Broughton," said Clara, "I must beg you to understand that mamma
has not the slightest right in the world to tell you what she just
now said about me. Nothing on earth would induce me to become the
wife of Mr. Broughton's partner."

There was something which made Clara unwilling even to name the man
whom her mother had publicly proposed as her future husband.

"He isn't Mr. Broughton's partner," said Mrs. Van Siever. "Mr. Broughton
has not got a partner. Mr. Musselboro is the head of the firm. And as
to your marrying h