Linda knew she was not Norman's first love, and requited Norman, of course, by telling him something, not much, of Alaric's falseness to her.

Norman made but one ungenerous stipulation.

It was this: that in marrying him Linda must give up all acquaintance with her brother-in-law.

He would never, he said, be the means of separating two sisters; she and Gertrude might have such intercourse together as their circumstances might render possible; but it was quite out of the question that either he, Harry Norman, or his wife, should ever again associate with Alaric Tudor.
In such matters Linda had always been guided by others; so she sighed and promised, and the engagement was duly ratified by all the parties concerned.
We must now return to Charley.

When he got back to town, he felt that he had lost his amulet; his charm had gone from him, and he had nothing now left whereby to save himself from ruin and destruction.