"You are familiar with the terms of the will?" he asked, scrupulously including both ladies in the question. "Yes," said Antonia, "my brother discussed the will with me in great detail before he made it, and I told Doris what you had said to me yesterday after the funeral. I think she understands. You do understand, my dear, don't you, that my brother left you the income of his estate during your life?" Mrs. Southgate nodded, without the least change of expression. "During her life or until her remarriage," said Williams, giving the word full weight. "I shall not remarry," said Mrs. Southgate in a quick, sweet, whispering voice--the sort of voice which made everyone lean forward, although it was perfectly audible. Antonia looked down at her sister-in-law and smiled, and Williams recognized with surprise that she was obviously attached to the little creature. He was surprised, because he knew that Miss Southgate had disapproved of the marriage; and even if the marriage had been less open to hostile criticism than it was, no one would expect a sister, who had for many years been at the head of her brother's house and a partner in his business, to welcome the intrusion of a young blond-headed wife. It really spoke well for both women, he thought, that they had managed to get on. He began to go over the will, paragraph by paragraph. In the sixteenth clause it was stated that the jewels now in possession of Mrs. Southgate, in especial a string of pearls and pigeon's-blood rubies, were not to be regarded as gifts, but as part of the estate. He glanced at the widow. "I suppose that was your understanding," he said. "I never thought about it," she answered. "If Alexander says so, of course he knew what he meant." At this moment the door softly opened and Nichols appeared with a visiting card on a salver, which he presented to Antonia. Miss Southgate began feeling for her lorgnette. "We can see no one," she said reprovingly to Nichols; then as she found her glasses and read the card, she added, "I never heard of such a person. Is it for me?" "No, madam," said Nichols; "the gentleman asked for Mrs. Southgate." "Explain to him that we can see no one," said Antonia; and then, as Nichols left the room, she decided as an afterthought to give the card to her sister-in-law--merely for information, however, for the door had already shut behind Nichols.