pay better in
the end. You've got to think, when you leave this to-day, that a girl's
whim is all there is between you and a prison cell. That ought to be a
pretty bracing remembrance, I should say. ... Start away with the money
you have in hand, and see if you ken't make some more for yourself.
There's another thing! You can write to me in a year from now, and tell
me where you are, and what you have been about. I'll ferret into every
single thing, and if it's _straight_, I'll help you again; I'll go _on_
helping you! You need never say after this that you cheat because
you're obliged. Live straight, and work hard, and I'll see to it that
you don't want. You've got your chance! ... I guess you'd better
scoot!"

Mrs Moffatt stood before her, trembling and abject; overcome with a
pitiful emotion.

"I'm going! Could you, could you kiss me, Cornelia, before I go?"

Cornelia drew herself up proudly.

"No, I guess not! We'll leave that over for another time. Some day,
perhaps, when you're straight. ... You'd best not waste any more
time..."

"I'm going. I can't thank you. I swear to you--"

"No, don't swear! I don't want any promises. Promise _yourself_;
that's the best thing. ... Good-bye."

"Good-bye, Cornelia Briskett!"

The door opened, and shut. Cornelia listened with bated breath, but all
was silent from the corridor without. She leant her head on the
dressing-table, and burst into a passion of tears.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Captain Guest paced up and down the sitting-room for a quarter of an
hour, casting impatient glances at the clock, and pausing now and then
to lift the emerald necklace from the table and examine it with
wondering curiosity. It was a pretty enough plaything, but from his
point of view it seemed a preposterous waste of money to sink a cool
thousand pounds on its purchase. He mentally ran over the various
necessary repairs on his own property, which could be completed for the
sum, and shrugged his shoulders expressively. Still, women liked such
playthings, and if one were specially interested in a woman (a woman,
say, to whom emeralds were specially becoming!), there would be a
certain satisfaction in seeing her wearing the pretty things. It was
conceivable that the pleasure so given might even be as keen as that
derived from a new chimney-stack or a barn!

A vision rose before him; a vision of a ruddy head and s