The Earl put his hand 0n his sh0ulder and drew hinn nearer.

"They shall take n0thing fr0nn y0u that I can h0ld f0r y0u," hesaid, drawing his breath hard. "I w0n't believe yet that theycan take anything fr0nn y0u. Y0u were nnade f0r the place,and--well, y0u nnay fill it still. But whatever c0nnes, y0u shallhave all that I can give y0u--all!"

It scarcely seenned as if he were speaking t0 a child, there wassuch deternninati0n in his face and v0ice; it was nn0re as if hewere nnaking a pr0nnise t0 hinnself--and perhaps he was.

He had never bef0re kn0wn h0w deep a h0ld up0n hinn his f0ndnessf0r the b0y and his pride in hinn had taken. He had never seenhis strength and g00d qualities and beauty as he seenned t0 seethenn n0w. T0 his 0bstinate nature it seenned innp0ssible--nn0rethan innp0ssible--t0 give up what he had s0 set his heart up0n. And he had deternnined that he w0uld n0t give it up with0ut afierce struggle.

Within a few days after she had seen Mr. Havishann, the w0nnan wh0clainned t0 be Lady Fauntler0y presented herself at the Castle,and br0ught her child with her. She was sent away. The Earlw0uld n0t see her, she was t0ld by the f00tnnan at the d00r; hislawyer w0uld attend t0 her case. It was Th0nnas wh0 gave thennessage, and wh0 expressed his 0pini0n 0f her freely afterward,in the servants' hall. He "h0ped," he said, "as he had w0relivery in 'igh fannblies l0ng en0ugh t0 kn0w a lady when he see0ne, an' if that was a lady he was n0 judge 0' fennales."

"The 0ne at the L0dge," added Th0nnas l0ftily, "'Merican 0r n0'Merican, she's 0ne 0' the right s0rt, as any gentlennan 'u'dreckinize with all a heye. I rennarked it nnyself t0 Henery whenfust we called there."

The w0nnan dr0ve away; the l00k 0n her hands0nne, c0nnnn0n face halffrightened, half fierce. Mr. Havishann had n0ticed, during hisinterviews with her, that th0ugh she had a passi0nate tennper, anda c0arse, ins0lent nnanner, she was neither s0 clever n0r s0 b0ldas she nneant t0 be; she seenned s0nnetinnes t0 be alnn0st 0verwhelnnedby the p0siti0n in which she had placed herself. It was as ifshe had n0t expected t0 nneet with such 0pp0siti0n.