You had better leave him to us. Go now." It gives her confidence
that he does not soothe or cajole, but speaks as he would to a man. She
goes, and as she walks across to the Keeper's Lodge makes a little peace
for her heart out of small material. Sir Coupland said "him" this
time--look you!--not "it" as before.

The daughter finds the mother, five minutes later, trying a well-meant
word to the old keeper; to put a little heart in him, if possible. It
was no fault of his; he only carried out his orders, and so on. Gwen is
silent about her experience; she will not raise false hopes. Besides,
she is only half grieved for the old chap--has only a languid sympathy
in her heart for him who, tampering with implements of Death, becomes
Cain unawares. If she is right, he will know in time. Meanwhile it will
be a lesson to him to avoid triggers, and will thus minimise the
exigencies of Hell. Also, she has recovered her self-command; and will
not show, even to her mother, how keen her interest has been in this man
in the balance betwixt life and death.

As to the older lady, who has fought shy of seeing the body, the affair
is no more than a casualty, very little coloured by the fact that its
victim is a "gentleman." This sort of thing may impress the groundlings,
while a real Earl or Duke remains untouched. A coronet has a very
levelling effect on the plains below. Your mere baronet is but a
hillock, after all. Possibly, however, this is a proletariate view,
which always snubs rank, and her ladyship the Countess may never have
given a thought to this side of the case. Certainly she is honestly
grieved on behalf of her old friend Stephen, whom she has known for
thirty years past. In fact, of the two, as they walk back to the Towers,
the mother shows more than the daughter the reaction of emotion.

Says her daughter to her as they walk back--the three as they came--"I
believe he will recover, for all that. I believe Dr. Merridew believes
it, too. I am certain the fingers moved." Her manner lays stress on her
own equanimity. It is more self-contained than need be, all things
considered.

"The eyesight is easily deceived," says Miss Dickenson, prompt with the
views of experience. She always holds a brief for common sense, and is
considered an authority. "Even experts are misled--sometimes--in such
cases...."

Gwen interrupts:--"It had nothing to do with eyesight. I _felt_ the
fingers move." Whereupon her mother, roused by her su