t as his brother-in-law had scowled more plainly than usual.

The atmosphere was charged to-night, now that the master of the house
was away; and as Ralph took his seat in his father's chair, Beatrice had
caught her breath for a moment as she saw the look on Nicholas's face.
It seemed as if the funeral had lifted a stone that had hitherto held
the two angry spirits down; Nicholas, after all, was but a son-in-law,
and Ralph, to his view at least, a bad son. She feared that both might
think that a quarrel did not outrage decency; but she feared for
Nicholas more than for Ralph.

Ralph appeared not to notice the other's scowl, and leaned easily back,
his head against the carved heraldry, and rapped his fingers softly and
rhythmically on the bosses of the arms.

Then she heard Nicholas draw a slow venomous breath; and the talk died
on Mary's lips. Beatrice stood up abruptly, in desperation; she did not
know what to say; but the movement checked Nicholas, and he glanced at
her a moment. Then Mary recovered herself, put her hand sharply on her
husband's, and slid out an indifferent sentence. Beatrice saw Ralph's
eyes move swiftly and sideways and down again, and a tiny wrinkle of a
smile show itself at the corners of his mouth. But that danger was
passed; and a minute later they heard the door of Sir James's room
opposite open, and the footsteps of the two men come out.

Ralph stood up at once as his father came in, followed by the priest,
and stepped back to the window-seat; there was the faintest hint in the
slight motion of his hands to the effect that he had held his post as
the eldest son until the rightful owner came. But the consciousness of
it in Beatrice's mind was swept away as she looked at the old man,
standing with a white stern face and his hands clenched at his sides.
She could see that something impended, and stood up quickly.

"Mr. Carleton has brought shocking news," he said abruptly; and his eyes
wandered to his eldest son standing in the shadow of the curtain. "A
company of mummers has arrived in the village--they--they are to give
their piece to-morrow."

There was a dead silence for a moment, for all knew what this meant.

Nicholas sprang to his feet.

"By God, they shall not!" he said.

Sir James lifted his hand sharply.

"We cannot hinder it," he said. "The priests have done what they can.
The fellow tells them--" he paused, and again his eyes wandered to
Ralph--"the fellow tells them he is