The Speaker fixed his red eyes on his son, and said, "Alick, I must tell you something. I've heard on good authority that they are going to hang that girl." "They can't. Some of them would like to, but they can't." "They can and they will, I tell you." "Then I'll .... I'll murder...." "There you are! That's what Farrell says. A little more and you'll be capable of anything. Go away, my boy. Think of me. It has taken me forty years to get to where I am. I was born neither an aristocrat nor a pauper, but I've got my hand on all of them. That's just the kind of man both sorts would like to pull down. If my son disgraced me I should have to give up everything. Go, my son, go." "I can't, father, I can't." The old man passed his hand over his bald head and in a low voice he said, "Perhaps I've not been a good father exactly, but there's your mother. Bad as it would be for me it would be worse for her. She has only one son--one child you might say--and since that affair at Castletown she has never been out of doors--just creeping over the fire with her feet in the fender. If you don't want to bring your mother to her grave...." Gell felt as if his heart were breaking. "But I can't, I can't!" "You mean you won't?" "Very well, I won't." The old man's voice thickened--the storm was coming. "And for the sake of this woman who killed her brat...." "Call her what you like. I'll stay here until she comes out of prison, and then .... then I'll marry her." "You fool! You damned heartless fool! God forgive me for bringing such a fool into the world." Struggling to his feet the old man made for the door. But having reached it, and while tugging at the handle, he stopped and said, "Look here, I'll give you one more chance." He took the stout envelope out of his breast pocket again and flung it on to Alick's desk. "There's the money and this is Monday. If you are not off the island by this day week I'll not leave matters to Farrell--I'll have you put into a madhouse myself to prevent you from plunging us all into disgrace and ruin. Idiot! Fool! Madman!" He screamed like a sea-gull until his breath was gone, and then, gesticulating wildly, went downstairs with heavy thudding steps like a man walking on stilts. A few minutes later Gell, going to the window with wet eyes, saw his father on the opposite side of the street, looking up at the house as if half minded to return. His stick fell from his nervous hand, and with difficulty he picked it up. It dropped again, and a passer-by handed it back. Then he went off in the direction of the railway station, dragging his feet after him. II Frightened by what his father had said about the intention of the Chief Constable to have him arrested as insane, Gell stayed indoors altogether.