ask it for myself, but it is for my father--he loves this place better
than his life; it would be much better he should die than that he
should be obliged to leave it; and if this money is called in, that is
what must happen, because the place will be sold over us. I believe he
would go mad, I do indeed," and she stopped speaking and stood before
him, the fragment of the flower in her hand, her breast heaving with
emotion.

"What do you suggest should be done, Miss de la Molle?" said Edward
Cossey gently.

"I suggest that--that--if you will be so kind, you should persuade
Cossey and Son to forego their intention of calling in the money."

"It is quite impossible," he answered. "My father ordered the step
himself, and he is a hard man. It is impossible to turn him if he
thinks he will lose money by turning. You see he is a banker, and has
been handling money all his life, till it has become a sort of god to
him. Really I do believe that he would rather beggar every friend he
has than lose five thousand pounds."

"Then there is no more to be said. The place must go, that's all,"
replied Ida, turning away her head and affecting to busy herself in
removing some dried leaves from a chrysanthemum plant. Edward,
watching her however, saw her shoulders shake and a big tear fall like
a raindrop on the pavement, and the sight, strongly attracted as he
was and had for some time been towards the young lady, was altogether
too much for him. In an instant, moved by an overwhelming impulse, and
something not unlike a gust of passion, he came to one of those
determinations which so often change the whole course and tenour of