ggling with herself,
anxious for the excitement which would come to her from dealing in
Bios, but still fearing to risk her money.

This had taken place immediately after Mr. Wharton's offer of the
L5000, in making which he had stipulated that Emily should be left at
home. Then a few days went by, and Lopez was pressed for his money at
the office of the San Juan mine. Did he or did he not mean to take up
the mining shares allotted to him? If he did mean to do so, he must
do it at once. He swore by all his gods that of course he meant to
take them up. Had not Mr. Wharton himself been at the office saying
that he intended to pay for them? Was not that sufficient guarantee?
They knew well enough that Mr. Wharton was a man to whom the raising
of L5000 could be a matter of no difficulty. But they did not know,
never could know, how impossible it was to get anything done by Mr.
Wharton. But Mr. Wharton had promised to pay for the shares, and when
money was concerned his word would surely suffice. Mr. Hartlepod,
backed by two of the Directors, said that if the thing was to go on
at all, the money must really be paid at once. But the conference was
ended by allowing the new local manager another fortnight in which to
complete the arrangement.

Lopez allowed four days to pass by, during each of which he was
closeted for a time with Lady Eustace, and then made an attempt to
get at Mr. Wharton through his wife. "Your father has said that he
will pay the money for me," said Lopez.

"If he has said so he certainly will do it."

"But he has promised it on the condition that you should remain
at home. Do you wish to desert your husband?" To this she made no
immediate answer. "Are you already anxious to be rid of me?"

"I should prefer to remain at home," she said in a very low voice.

"Then you do wish to desert your husband?"

"What is the use of all this, Ferdinand? You do not love me. You did
not marry me because I loved you."

"By heaven I did;--for that and that only."

"And how have you treated me?"

"What have I done to you?"

"But I do not mean to make accusations, Ferdinand. I should only add
to our miseries by that. We should be happier apart."

"Not I. Nor is that my idea of marriage. Tell your father that you
wish to go with me, and then he will let us have the money."

"I will tell him no lie, Ferdinand. If you bid me go, I will go.
Where you find a home I must find one too if it be your pleasure to
take