boy, into a hard, selfish, irreligious man--and all the
result of being rich. I should never have thought it could have made
such a dreadful difference so quickly. But I have not changed, Raymond.
And I tell you this: if you don't marry Sabina; if you don't see that
only so can you hold up your head as an honest man and a respectable
member of society, worthy of your class and your family, then, I, for
one, can have no more to do with you. I mean it."

"I'm sorry you say that. You've been my guardian angel in a way and I've
a million things to thank you for from my childhood. It would be a great
grief to me, Aunt Jenny, if you allowed a difference of opinion to make
you take such a line. I hope you'll think differently."

"I shall not," she said. "I have not told you this on the spur of the
moment, or before I had thought it out very fully and very painfully.
But if you do this outrageous thing, I will never be your aunt any more,
Raymond, and never wish to see you again as long as I live. You know me;
I'm not hysterical, or silly, or even sentimental; but I'm jealous for
your father's name--and your brother's. You know where duty and honour
and solemn obligation point. There is no reason whatever why you should
shirk your duty, or sully your honour; but if you do, I decline to have
any further dealings with you."

He rose to go.

"That's definite and clear. Good-bye, Aunt Jenny."

"Good-bye," she said. "And may God guide you to recall that 'good-bye,'
nephew."

Then he went back to 'The Seven Stars,' and wondered as he walked, how
the new outlook had shrunk up this old woman too, and made one, who
bulked so largely in his life of old, now appear as of no account
whatever. He was heartily sorry she should have taken so unreasonable a
course; but he grieved more for her sake than his own. She was growing
old. She would lack his company in the time to come, and her heart was
too warm to endure this alienation without much pain.

He suspected that if Sabina's future course of action satisfied Miss
Ironsyde, she would be friendly to her and the child and, in time,
possibly win some pleasure from them.

CHAPTER XXIX

THE BUNCH OF GRAPES

Raymond proceeded with his business at Bridetown oblivious of persons
and personalities. He puzzled those who were prepared to be his enemies,
for it seemed he was becoming as impersonal as the spinning machines,
and one cannot quarrel with a machine.

It appeared that