and naturally they will not witness against themselves."

"And what about Miss Penryn?" I asked.

"There is no case there, Jasper Pennington. Richard Tresidder is the
young woman's guardian until she is twenty one, and as far as I can see,
you can prove nothing illegal against him. Indeed, he has a case against
you, for you have forcibly taken her from those under whose protection
she had been placed by his and her own consent. Mind, I do not think he
will proceed against you publicly, because he would not care for the
matter to be discussed openly, but if you sought to prosecute, he would
be able to answer all your accusations easily."

"But what about him saying that she was dead? What of him taking
possession of Trevose? What of the priest's trying to destroy her
identity?"

"Trust Tresidder and the priest to get out of that. Besides, for that
matter, we must remember that the man is her guardian still, that he has
the right to place her practically where he will. If he were to come to
the inn where she is staying and demand that she shall go with him, he
would have the law on his side."

I was silent, for I saw that he was speaking the truth.

"Your plan, as far as I can see, is to place her in seclusion and safety
until she is twenty-one, then she can claim her own. Meanwhile, my lad,
you keep out of sight, for you are not safe. If I were you I would leave
the county, while the further Miss Penryn is removed from the Tresidders
the better, for no doubt you are right in all your surmises about them."

His words made me for the moment feel helpless, and I cursed the family
who had been my enemies.

"There is no need of all that, Jasper, my lad," said the lawyer, grimly.
"Neither Richard Tresidder nor his son are much worse than many others
who might be in their place. It was natural for the woman who married
your grandfather to seek to do well for her son; it was natural, too,
that they should seek to maintain the position which they secured. You
are the one man they have to fear, consequently it is reasonable to
suppose that they should protect themselves against you. It is
generally understood that Tresidder is in a sad way financially; he is
therefore trying, and naturally, too, to save himself through his ward.
If she had fallen in love with Nick, all would have been well with him;
but she hasn't. Instead, she falls in love with you. Oh, you needn't
blush, my lad, I can see how things stand. Very well; Tr