She pretended that she had not heard him, but he guessed that she had, from the flush which coloured her fair face. But by this time Barras was shaking hands with the two young people, and bowed politely to the famous doctor. "I am glad you're here, sir," he observed, sitting down and laying aside a black bag. "I want to ask you a question." "What is it?" demanded Jerce, looking surprised. "You knew my late client, Mr. Horran, intimately?" "Yes, for years and years. We were at school and college together." "Then you would know." "Know what?" asked Jerce, still more astonished. "If my late client, Mr. Horran, was an honest man or a scoundrel." CHAPTER XII BUSINESS AFFAIRS An astonished silence ensued. The lawyer's observation was so very unexpected, that no one knew exactly how to reply. Mr. Barras did not look like a man inclined to jest, being lean-faced, dour, and clean-shaven, with a thin-lipped mouth, and scanty iron-grey hair. His severe black eyes peered sternly at the world from under shaggy grey eyebrows, and he constantly appeared to hold the attitude of a hanging judge, sentencing a criminal to the gallows. Barras was not popular with his fellows, but he had the name of an extremely honest man, and was supposed to be aggressively just. Also he was deliberately cautious in expressing an opinion; therefore it was scarcely to be wondered at, that his late remark considerably startled the three people who had assembled to hear the will read. Being a woman, Clarice was the first of the trio to recover the use of her tongue, and spoke indignantly. "What do you mean by that, Mr. Barras?" she demanded, breathlessly. "Exactly what I say, Miss Baird; and I would have you remark that I addressed myself to Dr. Jerce here, who has not yet replied." "You take me by surprise, Barras," said Jerce, with a shrug. "All I can reply is that Horran was the most strictly honest man of my acquaintance. Had he not been so, the late Mrs. Baird would hardly have chosen him as her executor, or as the guardian of her children." "Exactly," said the lawyer again, and opened his portentous black bag. "But the question is, may not the late Mrs. Baird have been mistaken as to the true character of the man?" "Your own client?" said Clarice, indignantly. "I am a man, as well as a lawyer," retorted Barras, coldly. "Still, Uncle Henry, whom every one liked--" "Popularity implies weakness, to my mind, Miss Baird. Strength has its enemies, I have always found." "What do you think, Ferdy?" asked Clarice, staggered by the lawyer's air of conviction. "About Uncle Henry? Oh, it's all rot. He was one of the best, even though we didn't get on over well." "There, Mr. Barras," said Clarice, with an air of triumph. He took no notice of her, but produced from his bag a sheaf of important-looking documents. "I had better read the will," said Barras, coldly.