brother, and yet it
had been studied. She had no gems about her but what she might well
wear in her ordinary life, and yet the very rings on her fingers had
not been put on without reference to her cousin Frank. Her position
had been one of lounging ease, such as a woman might adopt when all
alone, giving herself all the luxuries of solitude;--but she had
adopted it in special reference to cousin Frank. Now she was in
earnest, with business before her; and though it may be said of her
that she could never forget her appearance in presence of a man whom
she desired to please, her curl, and rings, and attitude were for the
moment in the background. She had seated herself on a common chair,
with her hands upon the table, and was looking into Frank's face with
eager, eloquent, and combative eyes. She would take his law, because
she believed in it; but, as far as she could see as yet, she would
not take his advice unless it were backed by his law.

"Mr. Camperdown," continued Greystock, "has consented to prepare a
case for opinion, though he will not agree that the Eustace estate
shall be bound by that opinion."

"Then what's the good of it?"

"We shall at least know, all of us, what is the opinion of some
lawyer qualified to understand the circumstances of the case."

"Why isn't your opinion as good as that of any lawyer?"

"I couldn't give an opinion;--not otherwise than as a private friend
to you, which is worth nothing, unless for your private guidance. Mr.
Camperdown--"

"I don't care one straw for Mr. Camperdown."

"Just let me finish."

"Oh, certainly;--and you mustn't be angry with me, Frank. The matter
is so much to me; isn't it?"

"I won't be angry. Do I look as if I were angry? Mr. Camperdown is
right."

"I daresay he may be--what you call right. But I don't care about Mr.
Camperdown a bit."

"He has no power, nor has John Eustace any power, to decide that the
property which may belong to a third person shall be jeopardised by
any arbitration. The third person could not be made to lose his legal
right by any such arbitration, and his claim, if made, would still
have to be tried."

"Who is the third person, Frank?"

"Your own child at present."

"And will not he have it any way?"

"Camperdown and John Eustace say that it belongs to him at present.
It is a point that, no doubt, should be settled."

"To whom do you say that it belongs?"

"That is a question I am not prepared to answer."

"T