aid.

"Never! I have said the last word. I will not allude to it again, and,
unless you take back what you have said, I will accept you at your word
and go out into the world and earn my own living. Don't mention it
again."

Sir George looked uneasily at his daughter. Her austere sternness
disturbed him. He said that Copley was coming over later in the evening
to hear what May had to say on the matter.

"Very well," she answered, "I am rather glad of that. I shall be able to
settle this thing for ever."

She turned and swept from the room. She was glad she had kept the tears
out of her eyes. She was glad Sir George little knew how terribly he had
wounded her. For the rest of the day May went about the house as though
nothing had happened. She had a smile and a pleasant word for her
visitor, so that even Sir George took heart of grace and deluded himself
with the idea that his firmness had not been misplaced. It was only when
Copley came that he found out how mistaken he was. Copley had no
difficulty in getting May to himself, for Alice Carden was deeply
engrossed in a book, and Sir George was sitting over his cigar in the
library. At the very first hint of the reason for his visit May turned
to him.

"I think I know what you are going to say," she observed. "I shall be
glad to have this matter finally settled. Oh, no, I don't mean what you
do at all. Will you be good enough to come to the library with me,
because I should like my father to hear what passes between us? I won't
detain you more than a few minutes, and it is the best way."

The self-satisfied smile died from Copley's lips. He had not expected a
reception like this, and it surprised him, too, to see this
uncompromising dignity in May's manner. Perhaps she had never been more
alluring or more attractive in his eyes than she was at that moment, and
he knew, too, without any words from her, that he was on the eve of
defeat.

"Very well," he said, "though I don't see why we shouldn't settle it
between us. It is our affair."

May made no reply. She walked into the library, followed by Copley. Sir
George turned eagerly as they entered.

"Ah, well?" he said with an uneasy attempt at playfulness. "I see you
have come to an understanding."

"I trust so," May said quietly, "though I don't think it is the
understanding you anticipate. This is a very hateful position for me,
and I would give a good deal to be out of it. But it would be cowardly
if I tried