e for you at the bottom of his heart, and, if he used his
influence, we might come to a settlement."

"'Settlement'?" Roger well-nigh choked over the word. He took three
paces across the room and three paces back. His face twitched with fury,
but for the moment he held himself in rein. "Look here, Jose, are you my
lawyer or are you not? What in thunder do I want with Sir John?
Right's right, and I'm going to stand on it. You _know_ I'm in the right,
and yet, like a cowardly attorney, at the first threat you hum and haw and
bethink you about surrender. I don't know what _you_ call it, sir, but
_I_ call it treachery. 'Settlement?' I've a damned good mind to believe
they've bought you over!"

Mr. Jose gathered up his papers. "After that speech, Mr. Stephen, it
don't become me to listen to more. As your father's friend I'm sorry for
you. You're an ill-used man, but you're going to be a worse-used one, and
by your own choice. I wish indeed I may prove mistaken, but my warning
is, you have set your feet in a desperate path. Good-day, sir."

And so Roger Stephen quarrelled with his wisest friend.

VII.

Young Mrs. Stephen awoke in her bed of nettles, and sitting up with her
back to the wall, pressed her hands to her temples and tried to think.
She could not. For the moment the strain had broken her, and her mind ran
only on trifles--her wardrobe, a hundred small odds and ends of personal
property left behind her in the house.

She could not think, but by instinct she did the wisest thing--found her
feet and tottered off in the direction of Nansclowan. She had barely
passed the turning of the road shutting her off from his sight when Mr.
Jose came riding out by the stable gate and turned his horse's head
towards Helleston.

When Lady Piers heard that Mrs. Stephen was below in the morning-room and
wished to speak with her, she descended promptly, but with no very
goodwill towards her visitor. She suspected something amiss, for the maid
who carried up the news had added that the widow was "in a pretty pore,"
and wore not so much as a shawl over her indoor garments. Also she knew,
as well as her commoner neighbours, that the situation at Steens must be a
difficult one. Now Lady Piers was a devoted and gentle-hearted woman,
a loving wife and an incomparable housekeeper (the news had found her busy
in her still-room), but her judgment of the young fisher-girl who had
wheedled old Humphrey Stephen into