ew savage, and then
defiant.

"You ask too much," he said, pulling his long moustache, and uttering a
bitter laugh. "It would have been easy and natural enough to move Heaven
and earth for the sake of Brian Luttrell's rights, if Brian Luttrell had
not constituted himself my rival in another domain. But when his
'rights' meant depriving you of your property, and placing Mr. Stretton
in authority--I decline."

"I call that mean and base," said Elizabeth, giving the words a low but
clear-toned emphasis, which made Percival wince.

"Thank you," he said. And there was another long silence, which lasted
until they drew up at Mr. Colquhoun's door.

Percival waited for nearly an hour before she came back, and had time to
go through every possible phase of anger and mortification. He felt that
he had more reason on his side than Elizabeth could understand: the
doubt of Dino's good faith, which seemed so small to her, had certainly
influenced him very strongly. No doubt it would have been
better--wiser--if he had tried to find out the truth of Dino's story;
but the sting of Elizabeth's judgment lay in the fact that he had
fervently hoped that Dino's story was not true, and that he had refused
to meet Dino's offer half-way, the offer that would have secured
Elizabeth's own happiness. Would she ever hear a full account of that
interview? And what would she think of his selfishness if she came to
know it? Ever since that conversation in Mr. Brett's office Percival had
been conscious of bitter possibilities of evil in his own soul. He had
had a bad time of it during the past week, and, when he contrasted his
own conduct with the generous candour and uprightness that Elizabeth
seemed to expect from him, he was open to confess to himself that he
fell very short of her standard.

She came back to her place attended by Mr. Colquhoun, who wrapped her
rugs about her in a fatherly way, and took not the slightest notice of
Mr. Percival Heron. She had some small purchases to make in the town,
and it was growing almost dusk before they turned homewards. Then she
began to speak in her ordinary tone.

"Mr. Colquhoun has been telling me what to do," she said, "and I think
that he is right. Dino Vasari has already gone back to Italy, but before
he went, he signed a paper relinquishing all claim to the property in
favour of Brian Luttrell and myself. Mr. Colquhoun says it was a useless
thing to do, except as it shows his generosity and kindn