come back now, freed by his father's death. Shall I go on,
Simon?"

He sank back in his chair, shaken in all his being. He could not speak
until he moistened his lips with his tongue.

"Have you--told Lucy?"

"No. That is Leslie's right, I should say. No doubt he will use it.
As far as I can see, there is only one way by which you can make a
decent exit from the mess you're in."

"If--if you're suggesting--suicide--forget it!"

"Suicide? No! Why should I waste my breath proposing an act that
requires courage? What I meant was--divorce."

"Divorce!"

"It needn't cost you a penny. Make it easy for her to get--your
lawyers will arrange that. You'll have the tannery--and welcome! All
you need do is--go! Go from this house!"

"Divorce! Stand aside--hat in hand--bow another man into my place--!"
The rage of a cornered animal swept aside his fear. "I'll see you all
in--"

"Don't shout."

"So _that_ is why Sherwood has come back!" He gritted his words
through set teeth. "He thinks he is going to make trouble for me, eh?
Just let him try--just let him try! If he dares to say a word to
Lucy--if he even dares to set foot on this property--" His clenched
fist crashed on the desk beside him as he abandoned himself to a very
ecstasy of fury. "If he dares try that, by Heaven, I'll kill him like
a dog!"

"I wouldn't," advised Miss Ocky in her quiet, hard little voice.
"Everything would have to come out in court, then, and you'd have a
fearful time persuading any jury that it was justifiable." She had
finished her cigarette, and since Simon's study boasted no ash-trays,
she rose and went to the open window to toss the stub outside. She
remained there, leaning against the casement and breathing deep of the
cool night air. "Wouldn't you rather be divorced than hanged?"

"_No!_"

"Humph. Queer tastes, you have! Well--I've kept my promise. I've
told you a few straight facts and issued an ultimatum. The rest is up
to you. Would you like time to consider--"

"No! Not a minute--blast you!"

"I don't blast easily, Simon. I'm to assume, then, that you reject my
well-intentioned--_Hello! What's that!_" Her voice dropped to an
excited whisper as she bent her head and peered into the darkness.

The alteration in her manner penetrated through the fog of temper that
had clouded his brain. He left his chair and was at her side in a
bound, surmising her answer even before he snapped a swift question.