"I suppose I must see him. He'll bring an action against me else, for
keeping his wife from him. Mind, I tell you, you'll have to go back
to him."

"No, sir! I shall not do that," said Caroline, very quietly, with
something almost like a smile on her face. And then she left him, and
he wrote his answer to Sir Henry.

And then Sir Henry came down to Hadley. A day had been named, and
Caroline was sore put to it to know how she might best keep out of
the way. At last she persuaded her aunt to go up to London with her
for the day. This they did, both of them fearing, as they got out of
the train and returned to it, that they might unfortunately meet the
man they so much dreaded. But fortune was not so malicious to them;
and when they returned to Hadley they found that Sir Henry had also
returned to London.

"He speaks very fair," said Mr. Bertram, who sent for Caroline to
come to him alone in the dining-room.

"Does he, sir?"

"He is very anxious that you should go back."

"Ah, sir, I cannot do that."

"He says you shall have the house in Eaton Square to yourself for the
next three months."

"I shall never go back to Eaton Square, sir."

"Or he will take a small place for you anywhere at the sea-side that
you may choose."

"I shall want no place if you will allow me to remain here."

"But he has all your money, you know--your fortune is now his."

"Well, sir!"

"And what do you mean to do?"

"I will do what you bid me--except going back to him."

The old man sat silent for awhile, and then again he spoke.

"Well, I don't suppose you know your own mind, as yet."

"Oh, sir! indeed I do."

"I say I suppose you don't. Don't interrupt me--I have suggested
this: that you should remain here six months, and that then he should
come again and see--"

"You, sir."

"Well--see me, if I'm alive: at the end of that time you'll have to
go back to him. Now, good-night."

And so it was settled; and for the next six months the same dull,
dreary life went on in the old house at Hadley.

CHAPTER VIII.

CAIRO.

Men and women, or I should rather say ladies and gentlemen, used long
ago, when they gave signs of weakness about the chest, to be sent to
the south of Devonshire; after that, Madeira came into fashion; but
now they are all despatched to Grand Cairo. Cairo has grown to be so
near home, that it will soon cease to be beneficial, and then the
only air capable of revigorating the English lungs will