ught of her wealth, but he
was of too robust a nature, in spite of his sensitiveness on many
points, to refuse to marry a woman simply because she was richer than
himself. In fact, that is a piece of Quixotism not often practised, and
though Percival would perhaps have been capable of refusing to make an
offer of marriage to Elizabeth after she had come into her fortune, he
was not disposed to withdraw that offer because it had turned out a more
advantageous one for himself than he had expected. It is only fair to
say that he did not hold Elizabeth to her word on account of her wealth;
he never once thought of it in that interview with her on the
river-bank. Selfish as he might be in some things, he was liberal and
generous to a fault when money was in the question.

It was Mr. Colquhoun who told Mrs. Luttrell of Miss Murray's engagement.
He was amazed at the look of anger and disappointment that crossed her
face. "Ay!" she said, bitterly, "I am too late, as I always am. This
will be a sore blow to Hugo."

"Hugo!" said the old lawyer. "Was he after Miss Murray too? Not a bad
notion, either. It would have been a good thing to get the property back
to the Luttrells. He could have called himself Murray-Luttrell then."

"Too late for that," said Mrs. Luttrell, grimly. "Well, he shall have
Netherglen."

"Are you quite decided in your mind on that point?" queried Mr.
Colquhoun.

"Quite so. I'll give you my instructions about the will as soon as you
like."

"Take time! take time!" said the lawyer.

"I have taken time. I have thought the matter over in every light, and I
am quite convinced that what I possess ought to go to Hugo. There is no
other Luttrell to take Netherglen--and to a Luttrell Netherglen must
go."

"I should have thought that you would like better to leave it to Miss
Murray, who is of your own father's blood," said Mr. Colquhoun,
cautiously. "She is your second cousin, ye'll remember; and a good girl
into the bargain."

"A good girl she may be, and a handsome one; and I would gladly have
seen her the mistress of Netherglen if she were Hugo's wife; but
Netherglen was never mine, it was my husband's, and though it came to me
at his death, it shall stay in the Luttrell family, as he meant it to
do. Elizabeth Murray has the Strathleckie property; that ought to be
enough for her, especially as she is going to marry a penniless cousin,
who will perhaps make ducks and drakes of it all."

"Hugo's a fortun