eing
unmarried, he was not accustomed to opposition from a woman. He had no
intention of allowing her to pay her brother's debt, and he wished she
would drop the subject gracefully, now that he had made that fact
evident.

"Perhaps you don't know," continued Ruth, "that I am very well off." (As
if he did not know it! As if Lady Mary had not casually mentioned Ruth's
fortune several times in his hearing!) "Lady Deyncourt left me twelve
hundred a year, and I have a little of my own besides. You may not be
aware that I have fourteen hundred and sixty-two pounds per annum."

"I am very glad to hear it."

"That is a large sum, you will observe."

"It is riches," assented Charles, "if your expenditure happens to be
less."

"It does happen to be considerably less in my case."

"You are to be congratulated. And yet I have always understood that
society exacts great sacrifices from women in the sums they feel obliged
to devote to dress."

"Dress is an interesting subject, and I should be delighted to hear your
views on it another time; but we are talking of something else just at
this moment."

"I beg your pardon," said Charles, quickly, who did not quite like being
brought back to the case in point. "I--the truth was, I wished to turn
your mind from what we were speaking of. I don't want you to count
sovereigns into my hand. I really should dislike it very much."

"You intend me to think from that remark that it was a small sum," said
Ruth, with unexpected shrewdness. "I now feel sure it was a large one.
It ought to be paid, and there is no one to do it but me. I know that
what is firmness in a man is obstinacy in a woman, so do not on your
side be too firm, or, who knows? you may arouse some of that obstinacy
in me to which I should like to think myself superior."

"If," said Charles, with sudden eagerness, as if an idea had just struck
him, "if I let you pay me this debt, will you on your side allow me to
make a condition?"

"I should like to know the condition first."

"Of course. If I agree,"--Charles's light gray eyes had become keen and
intent--"if I agree to receive payment of what I lent Deyncourt three
years ago, will you promise not to pay any other debt of his, or ever to
lend him money without the knowledge and approval of your relations?"

Ruth considered for a few minutes.

"I have so few relations," she said at length, with rather a sad smile,
"and they are all prejudiced against poor Raymond. I