t upon the girl's arm.

"So you mean to defy me," he said hoarsely.

"Defy you!" May cried, indignantly. "What do you mean? Have you
forgotten that you are a gentleman? Anybody would think to look at you
and hear you speak that you were playing the villain in some sensational
melodrama. You have paid me the compliment of asking me to be your wife,
and I have done my best to decline in such a manner as to give you as
little pain as possible. You will be good enough to take me back to the
billiard-room and not to allude to this matter again."

Copley laughed derisively. He had forgotten himself. The love and
passion in his heart had died away to a sullen anger. Never since he had
known May Haredale had he felt such a wild longing to possess her. Well,
if the girl would have it, then he must speak openly and freely. She
must be made to understand that here was her master, whose lightest wish
she must learn to obey.

"You don't understand," he said. "I suppose you think you have only to
raise your hand and pick and choose. Ah, you are mistaken, my dear young
lady. If you don't believe me, ask Sir George. He promised to speak to
you on my behalf, but I see he hasn't done so. Probably he shirked it.
Now I shall have to tell you myself. Do you know that at the present
moment I am master of Haredale Park? I don't imagine you are acquainted
with business, but you know that your father is not a rich man. Has that
fact escaped you?"

"I am aware of it," May said coldly.

"Very well, then. Where do you suppose he has found the money to pay his
racing debts? Do you suppose it dropped from the clouds? During the last
twelve months, your father has had from me something like thirty
thousand pounds. Even a rich man can't always put his hand on large sums
of money like that. And I should have refused to part with the money if
it had not been for your sake. But when a man is in love, he is guilty
of all sorts of follies and extravagances and when a man like me is in
love he does not stick at trifles. Now try to realize my position. Try
to realize that if I say the word there is an end to Haredale Park as
far as you are concerned. I am not boasting. I could turn you both out
to-morrow if I chose, and what would become of you then? Ask yourself
the question. You needn't answer it now; you can take time to do so."

May Haredale trembled from head to foot. She had half-dreaded,
half-expected this, but the blow was no less crushing now