"Very good. I am delighted. But for what period? You see Marsh, some day you will marry, and then you will find in your wife the companion necessary to your existence; you will not want me. I think we had better make an agreement for three years. By that time I shall have done you all the good I can; you will be used to your position. And," continued Jim looking into the young man's eyes, "you will be looking for a wife." Stephen nodded. "Three years then," he said, "if you want a document, the lawyers can draw it up. As to marrying, I dare say I shall marry. Already I have"--here he broke off abruptly, "there are some things a man cannot talk about even to his best friend. Let the subject of love and marriage be tabooed between us Herrick." "Certainly!" replied the doctor rather stiffly, "I have no wish to force your confidence Marsh." "It's not that; but--I have an idea in my head. It may come to nothing. On the other hand--well," he dismissed it with a wave of his hand, "time enough to talk about it when it ripens. Let us change the subject." In the face of this unwillingness on the part of Marsh, Herrick was obliged to do as he was asked. He wondered if Stephen really loved Ida Endicotte or whether it was Bess who attracted him. Time alone would reveal the truth, so Herrick for the moment thought no more about the matter. He had engaged himself to look after Stephen, and at once set to work to earn his income. The subject was introduced by Marsh. "I think you and I ought to go abroad for a year or two," he said restlessly. "I feel that both Beorminster and Saxham are distasteful to me for a time. I have arranged to let Petronella live here, on a small income. I thought she would like to return to Italy, but she begged me to allow her to stay here for a time. I asked her to go to 'The Pines' but she refused. So here she must stay, and you and I Herrick?----" "We will go up to London for a couple of weeks," said Herrick promptly. "But I want to go further afield and for a longer time." "Have you forgotten the terms of the will?" put in Dr. Jim. "You must pay a monthly visit to that vault, or the money goes to Frisco!" Stephen nodded somewhat grimly. "I should have remembered," said he, "yes! I cannot travel until the year is at an end. But even if it so happened that I did not go to the vault and lost the money, I do not think that Frisco would return to claim it." "Well I don't know," replied Herrick musingly, "after all we cannot be certain that Frisco killed his master. He may re-appear and explain his flight and prove his innocence. On the face of it, it would seem he is guilty but the evidence is all circumstantial. Better stick to the terms of the will, and not give him the chance of claiming the money."