"Thank you," said she, as Roger swung round upon her in turn. Her lips were smiling, but she scarcely recognised her own voice. "Am--am I to follow by the same way?" Roger did not smile, but took her by the wrist. "Gently, Mr. Stephen--gently, I implore you!" interposed Mr. Jose. Roger did not seem to hear, and the woman made no resistance. He led her through the hall, across the threshold of Steens, and up the courtlage path. At the gate, as he pushed it wide for her, his grip on her wrist relaxed, and, releasing her, he stood aside. She paused for one instant, and gently inclined her head. "Stepson, you are a very foolish man," said she. "Good-day to you!" She passed out. Roger closed the gate grimly, slipped forward its bolt, and walked back to the house. But the woman without, as he turned his back, stepped aside quickly, found the wall, and, hidden by it, leaned a hand against the stonework and bowed her head. A moment later, and before Roger had reached the front door, her hand slipped and she fell forward among the nettles in a swoon. VI. "Well, _that's_ over!" said Roger, returning to the dining-room and mopping his brow. "Upon my word, Jose, that nasty varmint gave me quite a turn for the moment, he spoke so confident." "Tut, tut!" ejaculated Mr. Jose, pacing the room with his hands clasped beneath his coat-tails. "Do you know," Roger continued musingly, "I'm not altogether sorry the woman showed her hand. Sooner or later she had to be got rid of, and a thing like that is easier done when your blood's up. But Lord! could anyone have thought such wickedness was to be found in the world!" The lawyer rounded on him impatiently. "Mr. Stephen," said he, in the very words the widow had used two minutes before, "you're very foolish man, if you'll excuse my saying it." "Certainly," Roger assured him. "But be dashed to me if I see why." "Because, sir, you're on the wrong side of the law. Your father executed that will, and it's genuine; or the vermin--as you call him--would never have taken that line with me." "I daresay. But what of that?" "What of that? Why, you've cut yourself off from compromise--that's all. You don't think a fellow of that nature--I say nothing of the woman--will meet you on any reasonable terms after the way you've behaved!" "Compromise? Terms? Why, dang it all, Jose! You're not telling me the old fool could will away Steens, that has passed as freehold from father to son these two hundred years and more?" "The law allows it," began Mr. Jose; but his outraged client cut him short. "The law allows it!" he mimicked. "How soon d'ye think they'll get the country to allow it? Why, the thing's monstrous--'tis as plain as the nose on your face!" "Oh, you'll get sympathy, no doubt!"