d that he would come. But
if he could be generous, so could she. She had refused him when she
believed herself to be the heiress of Llanfeare, and she certainly
would not accept him now.

On the next morning about eleven o'clock he came. She had become
aware that it was the intention of all the family that she should see
him alone, and she made no struggle against that intention. As such
intention existed, the interview must of course take place, and as
well now as later. There was no confidence on the matter between
herself and her stepmother,--no special confidence between even
herself and her half-sisters. But she was aware that they all
supposed that Mr Owen was to come there on that morning for the sake
of renewing his offer to her. It was soon done when he had come.

"Isabel," he said, "I have brought with me that letter which you
wrote to me. Will you take it back again?" And he held it out in his
hand.

"Nay; why should I take back my own letter?" she answered, smiling.

"Because I hope--I do not say I trust--but I hope that I may receive
an altered answer."

"Why should you hope so?" she asked, foolishly enough.

"Because I love you so dearly. Let me say something very plainly. If
it be a long story, forgive me because of its importance to myself. I
did think that you were--well, inclined to like me."

"Like you! I always liked you. I do like you."

"I hoped more. Perhaps I thought more. Nay, Isabel, do not interrupt
me. When they told me that you were to be your uncle's heir, I knew
that you ought not to marry me."

"Why not?"

"Well, I knew that it should not be so. I knew that your uncle would
think so."

"Yes, he thought so."

"I knew that he would, and I accepted your answer as conveying his
decision. I had not intended to ask the heiress of Llanfeare to be my
wife."

"Why not? Why not?"

"I had not intended to ask the heiress of Llanfeare to by my wife,"
he said, repeating the words. "I learned last night that it was not
to be so."

"No; it is not to be so."

"Then why should not Isabel Brodrick be the wife of William Owen,
if she likes him,--if only she can bring herself to like him well
enough?"

She could not say that she did not like him well enough. She could
not force herself to tell such a lie! And yet there was her settled
purpose still strong in her mind. Having refused him when she
believed herself to be rich, she could not bring herself to take him
now that she was poo