he composure which had failed him before. He rose to
his feet, pale, stricken, indeed, but calm. For a moment or two he
averted his face from the woman who judged him so harshly, so
pitilessly; but when he turned to her again, he had gained a certain
pride of bearing which compelled her unwilling respect.

"If that is your final answer," he said, "I can say nothing more.
Perhaps the day will come when you will understand me better. In the
meantime, I shall be glad to hear whether you have any plans which I can
assist you in carrying out."

"None in which I require your assistance," said Mrs. Luttrell, stonily.
"I have my jointure; I can live upon that. I will leave Netherglen to
you. I will take a cottage for myself--and Angela."

"And Angela?"

"Angela remains with me. You may remember that she has no home, except
with friends who are not always as kind to her as they might be. Her
brother is not a wealthy man, and has no house of his own. Under these
circumstances, and considering what she has lost, it would be mere
justice if I offered her a home. Henceforth she is my daughter."

"You have asked her to stay, and she has consented?"

"I have."

"And you thought--you think--of taking a home for yourselves?"

"Yes."

"I suppose you do not object," said Brian, slowly, "to the gossip to
which such a step on your part is sure to give rise?"

"I have not considered the matter. Gossip will not touch me."

"No." Brian would not for worlds have said that the step she
contemplated taking would be disastrous for him. Yet for one moment, he
could not banish the consciousness that all the world would now have
good reason to believe that his mother held him guilty of his brother's
death. He did not know that the world suspected him already.

It was with an unmoved front that he presently continued.

"I, myself, had a proposition to make which would perhaps render it
needless for you to leave Netherglen, which, as you say, is legally your
own. You may not have considered that I am hardly likely to have much
love for the place after what has occurred in it. You know that neither
you nor I can sell any portion of the property--even you would not care
to let it, I suppose, to strangers for the present. I think of going
abroad--probably probably for some years. I have always wanted to
travel. The house on the Strathleckie side of the property can be let;
and as for Netherglen, it would be an advantage for the place if you