You must clearly
understand that, to save us all from starvation, I would never be his
wife."

"You need not trouble yourself with the question. He is a dead man; in
two months' time he will be in the family vault."

She bowed her head and left him--left him with his hot and glowing
greed, behind which crept a terror.

Next morning, George Caresfoot received the following letter:

"Bratham Abbey, May 5.

"Dear Cousin George,

"In reply to your letter, I must tell you that I am willing to go
through the form of marriage with you--at a registry-office, not
in church--in order to enable you to carry out the property
arrangements you wish to make. You must, however, clearly
understand that I do not do this on my own account, but simply
and solely to benefit my father, who has left the matter to my
'generosity.' I must ask you as a preliminary step to make a copy
of and sign the enclosed letter addressed to me. Our lives are in
the hand of God, and it is possible that you might be restored to
health. In such an event, however improbable it may seem, it
cannot be made too plain that I am not, and have never in any
sense undertaken to be, your wife.

"Truly yours,
"Angela Caresfoot."

The enclosure ran as follows:

"I, George Caresfoot, hereby solemnly promise before God that under
no possible circumstance will I attempt to avail myself of any
rights over my cousin, Angela Caresfoot, and that I will leave her
as soon as the formal ceremony is concluded, and never again
attempt to see her except by her own wish; the so-called marriage
being only contemplated in order to enable me to carry out certain
business arrangements which, in view of the failing state of my
health, I am anxious to enter into."

This letter and its curious enclosure, surely the oddest marriage
contract which was ever penned, George, trembling with excitement,
thrust into the hands of Lady Bellamy. She read them with a dark
smile.

"The bird is springed," she said, quietly. "It has been a close thing,
but I told you that I should not fail, as I have warned you of what
will follow your success. Sign this paper--this waste-paper--and
return it."

CHAPTER LIII

By return of post Angela received her strange agreement, duly copied
and sign