Over the brow of the hill he turned, and down into Dingley Bottom, and then up the long slant toward Treliskey Plantation. He scarcely heeded the wind that was blowing half a gale, and appeared to be increasing in violence every minute. The gate that Dorothy's horse had broken had been mended long since, and the notice board repainted: "Trespassers will be Prosecuted." He gritted his teeth unconsciously as the white letters stared him in the face. He had heard his father tell that from time immemorial here had been a public thoroughfare, till Sir John took the law into his own hands, and flung a gate across it and warned the public off with a threat of prosecution. But what cared he about the threat? John Hamblyn could prosecute him if he liked. He was going to tell him what he thought of him, and he was going the nearest way. He vaulted lightly over the gate, and hurried along without a pause. In the shadow of the trees he scarcely felt the violence of the wind, but he heard it roaring in the branches above him, like the sound of an incoming tide. He reached the manor, and pulled violently at the door bell. "Is your master at home?" he said to the boy in buttons who opened the door. "Yes----" "Then tell him I want to see him at once," he went on hurriedly, and he followed the boy into the hall. A moment later he was standing before Sir John in his library. The baronet looked at him with a scowl. He disliked him intensely, and had never forgiven him for being the cause--as he believed--of his daughter's accident. Moreover, he had no proper respect for his betters, and withal possessed a biting tongue. "Well, young man, what brought you here?" he said scornfully. "I came on foot," was the reply, and Ralph threw as much scorn into his voice as the squire had done. "Oh, no doubt--no doubt!" the squire said, bridling. "But I have no time to waste in listening to impertinences. What is your business?" "I came to tell you that my father is dead." "Dead!" Sir John gasped. "No, surely? I never heard he was ill!" "He was taken with a stroke early yesterday morning, and he died an hour ago." "Only an hour ago? Dear me!" "I came straight away from his deathbed to let you know that you had killed him." "That I had killed him!" Sir John exclaimed, with a gasp. "You might have seen it in his face, when you told him that you had let the farm over his head, and that he was to be turned out of the little home he had built with his own hands." "I gave him fair notice, more than he could legally claim," Sir John said, looking very white and distressed. "I am not talking about the law," Ralph said hurriedly. "If you had behaved like a Christian, my father would have been alive to-day. But the blow you struck him killed him. He never smiled again till this morning, when he knew he was dying. I am glad he is gone. But as surely as you punished us, God will punish you."