Vernon shrugged his shoulders. "It's rather hard to blame the sister for the brother's delinquencies," he said judicially. "And now that he and Maunders are out of the running she will place her weight in your scale. In fact, from your late observation, she has already done so. You should be very pleased, Colonel, whereas you seem to me to be ungrateful." "I don't want Ida to be induced to marry me by Miss Hest's representations, Vernon," said Towton hotly. "It's a liberty on her part to interfere with my wooing. Lady Corsoon comes down to-morrow with her daughter, and I shall ask her to go to Gerby Hall and bring Ida back with her. Then we will have finished with these shady people, and Ida will marry me of her own free will." "Well, Colonel," replied Vernon pacifically, "I hope things will turn out as you expect. But what did Miss Hest write about?" "About her brother. She asked me if I had seen him, and what was the matter with him." Vernon looked puzzled. "I don't understand. Does she suspect----" "She suspects nothing," broke in Towton impetuously. "But she stated that she had received a letter from her brother four or five days ago saying that he intended to leave England for ever, as he was tired of civilisation. He enclosed a Deed of Gift, making over Gerby Hall and its acres to her, as he intended--so he said--to earn his own living when abroad. Naturally, Miss Hest could not understand this, and wrote asking me what was the matter." "Did you explain?" "No. I wrote saying that I was coming down to my own place, and would tell her all I knew when I arrived. But you can see, Vernon, that Hest is still in London." "He was, six or seven days ago, but he may have gone away since," said Vernon cautiously. "Who drew up the Deed of Gift?" "I can't say. Miss Hest did not explain that. Why?" "Because if it was some lawyer we might be able to question him regarding Hest's latest movements. Humph! So Hest has bolted. Well, I'm not surprised at that. But I am rather astonished he should surrender his property." "Oh, well. I expect his business as The Spider has made him quite a rich man. Remember, the blackguard has been blackmailing successfully for three or four years. He knows that his sister has nothing save what she makes by her reciting, so perhaps his conscience smote him, and so he made his Deed of Gift. It's a lucky thing for her, as Gerby Hall is a fine old place, although rather gloomy, and there is a decent income of one thousand a year attached to it, farms, village rents, and all that sort of thing, you know." "It's queer Hest should have behaved so well, when he is such a scoundrel, Towton. You told me that he quarrelled with his sister, and certainly from the remarks she made about him to me, she did not seem over fond of him." "Blood is thicker than water," said the Colonel sententiously, "and dog does not eat dog."