Don't you remember he was killed in the Alps last autumn ?..." _Norie_: "I remember your going down to see your aunt after you broke off relations with your mother in--in--1897... ?" _Vivie_: "Yes.

I wanted to see how the land lay and not judge any one unfairly.

Besides I--I--didn't like being dependent entirely on you--at that time--for support: and Praed was in Italy.

I knew that Aunt Liz, like mother, was illegitimate--and guessed she had once made her living in the higher walks of prostitution--she was a stockbroker's mistress at one time--.

But she had married and settled down at Winchester ...