what you will be on the morrow； that your life is even as a vapour
appearing for a little time and then vanishing away。 You think that
you can crush the man to whom I have given my heart because he is
honest and you are dishonest； because you are rich and he is poor； and
because he chances to have succeeded where you have not。 Well； for
myself and for him I defy you。 Do your worst and fail； and when you
have failed； in the hour of your extremity remember my words to…day。
If I have given you pain by refusing you it is not my fault and I am
sorry； but when you threaten the man who has honoured me with his love
and whom I honour above every creature upon the earth； then I threaten
back； and may the Power that made us all judge between you and me； as
judge it will；〃 and bursting into tears she turned and left him。
Sir Robert watched her go。
〃What a woman！〃 he said meditatively； 〃what a womanto have lost。
Well she has set the stakes and we will play out the game。 The cards
all seem to be in my hands； but it would not in the least surprise me
if she won the rubber； for the element that I call Chance and she
would call something else； may come in。 Still； I never refused a
challenge yet and we will play the game out without pity to the
loser。〃
That night the first trick was played。 When he got back to The Court
Sir Robert ordered his motorcar and departed on urgent business；
either to his own place； Old Hall； or to London； saying only that he
had been summoned away by telegram。 As the 70…horse…power Mercedes
glided out of the gates a pencilled note was put into Mr。 Haswell's
hand。
It ran： 〃I have tried and failedfor the present。 By ill…luck
A。V。 had been before me； only this morning。 If I had not missed my
chance last night owing to your illness； it would have been
different。 I do not； however； in the least abandon my plan； in
which of course I rely on and expect your support。 Keep V。 in the
office or let him go as you like。 Perhaps it would be better if
you could prevail upon him to stop there until after the
flotation。 But whatever you say at the moment； I trust to you to
absolutely veto any engagement between him and your niece； and to
that end to use all your powers and authority as her guardian。
Burn this note。
〃R。A。〃
CHAPTER VI
MR。 HASWELL LOSES HIS TEMPER
Alan and Barbara sat in Mr。 Champers…Haswell's private sitting…room
with the awful decorations； and before them by the fire Mr。 Champers…
Haswell reclined upon his couch。 Alan in a few； brief； soldier…like
words had just informed him of his engagement to Barbara。 During the
recital of this interesting fact Barbara said nothing； but Mr。 Haswell
had whistled several times。 Now at length he spoke； in that tone of
forced geniality which he generally adopted towards his cousin。
〃You are asking for the hand of a considerable heiress； Alan my boy；〃
he said； 〃but you have neglected to inform me of your own position。〃
〃Where is the use of telling you what you know already； Mr。 Haswell？ I
have left the firm； therefore I have practically nothing。〃
〃You have practically nothing； and yet Well； in my young days men
were more delicate； they did not like being called fortune…hunters；
but of course times have changed。〃
Alan bit his lip and Barbara sat up quite straight in her chair；
observing which indications； Mr。 Haswell went on hurriedly：
〃Now if you had stopped in the firm and earned the very handsome
competence in a small way which would have become due to you this
week； instead of throwing us over at the last moment for some quixotic
reasons of your own； it might have been a different matter。 I do not
say it would have been； I say it might have been； and you may remember
a proverb about winks and nods and blind horses。 So I ask you whether
you are inclined to withdraw that resignation of yours and bring up
this question again let us say； next Sunday？〃
Alan thought a while before he answered。 As he understood Mr。 Haswell
practically was promising to assent to the engagement upon these
terms。 The temptation was enormously great； the fiercest that he had
ever been called upon to face。 He looked at Barbara。 She had closed
her eyes and made absolutely no sign。 For some reason of her own she
had elected that he should determine this vital point without the
slightest assistance from her。 And it must be determined at once；
procrastination was impossible。 For a moment he hesitated。 On the one
side was Barbara； on the other his conscience。 After long doubts he
had come to a certain conclusion which he quite understood to be
inconvenient to his partners。 Should he throw it over now？ Should he
even try to make a sure and certain bargain as the price of his
surrender？ Probably he would not suffer if he did。 The flotation was
underwritten and bound to go through； the scandal would come
afterwards； months or years hence； long before which he might get out；
as most of the others meant to do。 No； he could not。 His conscience
was too much for him。
〃I do not see any use in reconsidering that question； Mr。 Haswell；〃 he
said quietly； 〃we settled it on Friday night。〃
Barbara reopened her brown eyes and stared amiably at the painted
ceiling； and Mr。 Haswell whistled。
〃Then I am afraid；〃 he said； 〃that I do not see any use in discussing
your kind proposal for my niece's hand。 ListenI will be quite open
with you。 I have other views for Barbara； and as it happens I have the
power to enforce them； or at any rate to prevent their frustration by
you。 If Barbara marries against my will before she is five and twenty；
that is within the next two years； her entire fortune； with the
exception of a pittance； goes elsewhere。 This I am sure is a fact that
will influence you； who have nothing and even if it did not； I presume
that you are scarcely so selfish as to wish to beggar her。〃
〃No；〃 answered Alan； 〃you need not fear that； for it would be wrong。 I
understand that you absolutely refuse to sanction my suit on the
ground of my poverty； which under the circumstances is perhaps not
wonderful。 Well； the only thing to do is to wait for two years； a long
time； but not endless； and meanwhile I can try to better my position。〃
〃Do what you will； Alan；〃 said Mr。 Haswell harshly； for now all his
/faux bonhomme/ manner had gone； leaving him revealed in his true
character of an unscrupulous tradesman with dark ends of his own to
serve。 〃Do what you will； but understand that I forbid all
communication between you and my niece； and that the sooner you cease
to trespass upon a hospitality which you have abused； the better I
shall be pleased。〃
〃I will go at once；〃 said Alan； rising； 〃before my temper gets the
better of me and I tell you some truths that I might regret； for after
all you are Barbara's uncle。 But on your part I ask you to understand
that I refuse to cut off from my cousin； who is of full age and has
promised to be my wife；〃 and he turned to go。
〃Stop a minute； Alan；〃 said Barbara； who all this while had sat
silent。 〃I have something to say which I wish you to hear。 You told us
just now； uncle； that you have other views for me； by which you meant
that you wish me to marry Sir Robert Aylward； whom； as you are
probably aware； I refused definitely this afternoon。 Now I wish to
make it clear at once that no earthly power will induce me to take as
a husband a man whom I dislike； and whose wealth； of which you think
so much； has in my opinion been dishonestly acquired。〃
〃What are you saying？〃 broke in her uncle furiously。 〃He has been my
partner for years； you are reflecting upon me。〃
〃I am sorry； uncle； but I withdraw nothing。 Even if Alan here were
dead； I would not marry that man； and perhaps you will make him
understand this；〃 she added with emphasis。 〃Indeed I had sooner die
myself。 You told us also that if I marry against your will； you can
take away all the property that my father left to me。 Uncle； I shall
not give you that satisfaction。 I shall wait until I am twenty…five
and do what I please with myself and my fortune。 Lastly； you said that
you forbade us to see each other or to correspond。 I answer that I
shall both write to and see Alan as often as I like。 If you attempt to
prevent me from doing so； I shall go to the Court of Chancery； lay all
the facts before it； as I have been advised that I can donot by Alan
please remember； /all/ the facts； and ask for its protection and for
a separate maintenance out of my estate until I am twenty…five。 I am
sure that the Court would grant me this and would declare that
considering his distinguished family and record Alan is a perfectly
proper person to be my affianced husband。 I think that is all I have
to say。〃
〃All you have to say！〃 gasped Mr。 Haswell； 〃all you have to say； you
impertinent and ungrateful minx！〃 Then he fell into a furious fit of
rage and in language that need not be repeated； poured a stream of
threats and abuse upon Alan and herself。 Barbara waited until he
ceased from exhaustion。
〃Uncle；〃 she said； 〃you should remember that your heart is weak and
you must not overexcite yourself； also when you are calmer； that if
you speak to me like that again； I sh