I shall require you either to render back or to
buy from me."

Elizabeth knew well what was wanted, and her whole soul was in arms at
the demand. Yet it was a perfectly just one. By his father's will
Roland had been left certain pieces of valuable personal property:
family portraits and plate, two splendid cabinets, old china, Chinese
and Japanese carvings, many fine paintings, antique chairs, etc.,
etc., the whole being property which had either been long in the
Tresham family or endeared to it by special causes, and therefore left
personally to Roland as the representative of the Treshams. At the
break up of the Tresham home after his father's death, Roland had been
glad to leave these treasures in Elizabeth's care, nor in his
wandering life had the idea of claiming them ever come to him. As for
their sale, that would have been an indignity to his ancestors below
the contemplation of Roland.

Fortunately Mr. Tresham's lawyer had insisted upon Mrs. Burrell giving
Roland a list of the articles left in her charge and an acknowledgment
of Roland's right to them. "Life is so queer and has so many queer
turns," he said, "that nothing can be left to likelihoods. Mrs.
Burrell is not likely to die, but she may do so; and then there may be
a new Mrs. Burrell who may make trouble, and I can conceive of many
other complications which would render nugatory the intentions of the
late Mr. Tresham. The property must, therefore, be set behind the
bulwark of the law." Elizabeth herself had acknowledged this danger,
and she had done all that was required of her in order to keep the
Tresham family treasures within the keeping of the Treshams.

She was now confronted with her own acknowledgment and agreement, or
at least with a copy of it, and she was well aware that it would
be the greatest folly to deny the claim of Roland's wife. But the
idea of robbing her beautiful home for Denasia was very bitter to
her. She glanced around the room and imagined the precious cabinets
and china, the curious carvings and fine paintings taken away, and
then the alternative, the money she would have to pay to Denasia if
she retained them, came with equal force and clearness to her
intelligence.

"Mrs. Tresham," she said in a conciliating voice, "these objects can
be of no value to you."

"Roland told me they were worth at least two thousand pounds, perhaps
more. There is a picture of Turner's, which of----"

"What do you know about Turner? And ca