“Of all what, Mr Rubb?” said she.

“Why, about you and the family at the Cedars. If what I hear is true, they’ve just got you to give up everything, and then dropped you.”

“I left Sir John Ball’s house on my own account, Mr Rubb; I was not turned out.”

“I don’t suppose they’d do that. They wouldn’t dare to do that; not so soon after getting hold of your money. Miss Mackenzie, I hope I shall not anger you; but it seems to me to be the most horridly wicked piece of business I ever heard of.”

“You are mistaken, Mr Rubb. You forget that the thing was first found out by my own lawyer.”

“I don’t know how that may be, but I can’t bring myself to believe that it all is as they say it is; I can’t, indeed.”

She merely smiled, and shook her head. Then he went on speaking.

“I hope I’m not giving offence. It’s not what I mean, if I am.”

“You are not giving any offence, Mr Rubb; only I think you are mistaken about my relatives at Twickenham.”

“Of course, I may be; there’s no doubt of that. I may be mistaken, like another. But, Miss Mackenzie, by heavens, I can’t bring myself to think it.” As he spoke in this energetic way, he rose from his chair, and stood opposite to her. “I cannot bring myself to think that the fight should be given up.”

“But there has been no fight.”

“There ought to be a fight, Miss Mackenzie; I know that there ought. I believe I’m right in supposing, if all this is allowed to go by the board as it is going, that you won’t have, so to say, anything of your own.”

“I shall have to earn my bread like other people; and, indeed, I am endeavouring now to put myself in the way of doing so.”

“I’ll tell you how you shall earn it. Come and be my wife. I think we’ve got a turn for good up at the business. Come and be my wife. That’s honest, any way.”

“You are honest,” said she, with a tear in her eye.

“I am honest now,” said he, “though I was not honest to you once;” and I think there was a tear in his eye also.

“If you mean about that money that you have borrowed, I am very glad of it—very glad of it. It will be something for them in Gower Street.”

“Miss Mackenzie, as long as I have a hand to help myself with, they shall have that at least. But now, about this other thing. Whether there’s nothing to come or anything, I’ll be true to my offer. I’ll fight for it, if there’s to be a fight, and I’ll let it go if there’s to be no fight. But whether one way or whether the other, there shall be a home for you when you say the word. Say it now. Will you be my wife?”