ure, after all."

"I'm sure in a way. If it weren't for papa I shouldn't have any doubt
whatever. But it seems so awful for me to drive him into what I don't
think he'd do of his own accord." She went on to explain Davenant's
offer in detail. "So you see," she concluded, "that papa's state of mind
is peculiar. He agrees with me that the higher thing would be not to
take the money; and yet if I gave him the slightest encouragement he
would."

"And you're not going to?"

"How could I, Cousin Rodney? How could I put myself under such an
obligation to a man I hardly know?"

"He could probably afford it."

"Is he so very rich?" There was a hint of curiosity in the tone.

Rodney Temple shrugged his shoulders. "Oh, rich enough. It would pretty
well clean him out; but, then, that would do him good."

"Do him good--how?"

"He's spoiling for work, that fellow is. Since he's had all that money
he's been of no use to himself or to anybody else. He's like good
capital tied up in a stocking instead of being profitably invested."

"And yet we could hardly put ourselves in a humiliating situation just
to furnish Mr. Davenant with an incentive for occupation, could we,
Cousin Rodney?"

"I dare say not."

"And he isn't offering us the money merely for the sake of getting rid
of it, do you think?"

"Then what _is_ he offering it to you for?"

"That's exactly what I want to know. Haven't you any idea?"

"Haven't you?"

She waited a minute before deciding to speak openly. "I suppose you
never heard that he once asked me to marry him?"

He betrayed his surprise by the way in which he put down the little
Chinese figure and wheeled round more directly toward her.

"Who? Peter?"

She nodded.

"What the dickens made him do that?"

She opened her eyes innocently. "I'm sure I can't imagine."

"It isn't a bit like him. You must have led him on."

"I didn't," she declared, indignantly. "I never took any notice of him
at all. Nothing could have astonished me more than his--his
presumption."

"And what did you say to him? Did you box his ears?"

"I was very rude, and that's partly the trouble now. I feel as if he'd
been nursing a grudge against me all these years--and was paying it."

"In that case he's got you on the hip, hasn't he? It's a lovely turning
of the tables."

"You see that, Cousin Rodney, don't you? I _couldn't_ let a man like
that get the upper hand of me."

"Of course you couldn't, dear. I'd sit on h