"All passes from her if she marries again!" he said tersely.
"Is it true?" inquired Matthew.
"Told me so herself—this very evening," answered Thomas.
A dead silence came over the farmhouse parlour. Thomas lighted a cigar and smoked pensively; Matthew refilled his churchwarden pipe and puffed blue rings at the ceiling, whereat he gazed as if in search of inspiration. It was he who spoke first.
"It's a bad job, this, Thomas," he said; "a very bad job. Of course, you'll not be for carrying out your part of the arrangement?"
"I have been cruel deceived," said Thomas.
"At the same time," said Matthew, "when this here engagement was made between you, you didn't make it a condition that the fortune should come with her?"
"No-o!" answered Thomas.
"Then, of course, if you throw her over she can sue you for breach of promise, and as you're a well-to-do man the damages would be heavy," remarked Matthew.
Thomas groaned.