"Perhaps making millions and driving wedges is--rather exhausting, Cartmell. You split the tree; don't you blunt the wedge in time, too?" "The end came easy, did it?" "Oh, yes, in his sleep. So the nurse tells me. I wasn't there myself." "I'm glad it was easy. After all, he was a very old friend of mine--and a very valuable client. Let's see, how long have you been with him?" "Four years." "Going to stay?" I rose and began to brush my hat. "If you come to that," said I, "are you going to stay either, Cartmell? I gather that she can do as she pleases about that?" "Every rod of ground and every farthing of money--bating decent charities! It's a great position." "It's a very unexplored one so far as we're concerned," I made bold to remark. "Have you seen him since--since the end, Austin?" "Yes. Would you like to?" "No, I shouldn't," he answered bluntly. "Perhaps it's brutal. I know it's cowardly. But I don't like death." "Nonsense! You make half your income out of it. I say, I suppose we might as well start?" "Yes," he assented absently. "I wonder how she's turned out!" I looked at him with quickened interest. "Turned out? That sounds almost as if you'd seen her." "I have seen her. Come along. I'll tell you about it as we drive down." We traversed the long corridor which leads from my office to the hall. Loft was waiting for us, with an attendant footman. Loft addressed me in a muffled voice; his demeanor might always be relied on for perfection--he would not once unmuffle his voice till his master was buried. "The landau is waiting, sir. The omnibus for Miss Driver's maid and the luggage has gone on." Wonderful man! He spoke of "Miss Driver" as if she had lived for years in the house. Cartmell gave him a queer look and emitted a low chuckle as we got into the landau, behind the big grays. Mr. Driver always drove grays, and he liked them big, so that he could rattle up the hill to his house. "Maid! Luggage!" muttered Cartmell. "The bus'll hold 'em, I think, with a bit to spare! By his orders I sent her twenty pounds on Tuesday; that's all she's had as yet. I only had time to telegraph about--the rest." "Interesting wire to get! But about your seeing her, Cartmell?" In honor of the occasion Cartmell, like myself, had put on a black frock coat and a silk hat, properly equipped with a mourning band of respectful width. But he wore the coat with a jaunty air, and the hat slightly but effectively cocked on one side, so that the quiet yet ingrained horsiness of his aspect suffered little from the unwonted attire. The confidential wink with which he now turned his plump rubicund face toward me preserved his general harmony. With the mournful atmosphere of Breysgate Priory, however, I could not help feeling that my own lank jaws and more precisely poised head-gear consorted better. "You can hold your tongue, Austin?" "A very shrewd man has paid me four hundred a year for four years past on that understanding."