to her affairs. I do not know the extent of her income."

"As far as we can make out," said Eve gently, "there is nothing.
But I can work. I thought that my knowledge of Spanish might enable
me to make a living."

"No," said Captain Bontnor, "I'm d--- I mean I should not like you
to go governessing, my dear."

The Count was apparently reflecting.

"I have a compromise to propose," he said, addressing himself to
Eve. "If we place the property in the hands of a third person--you
know the value of land in Majorca--to farm and tend; if at the end
of each year the profits be divided between us?"

But Eve's suspicions were aroused, and her woman's instinct took her
further than did Captain Bontnor's sturdy sense of right and wrong.

"I am afraid," she said, rising from her chair, "that I must refuse.
I--I think I understand why papa always spoke of you as he did. I
am very grateful to you. I know now that you have been trying to
give me D'Erraha. It was a generous thing to do--a most generous
thing. I think people would hardly believe me if I told them. I
can only thank you; for I have no possible means of proving to you
how deeply I feel it. Somehow"--she paused, with tears and a sad
little smile in her eyes--"somehow it is not the gift that I
appreciate so much as--as your way of trying to give it."

The Spaniard spread out his two hands in deprecation.