ped David's hand and walked forward
to her visitor, and they looked steadily at each other for a few
moments. Then Matilda said:

"Think shame of yourself, to be so soon at the courting again, and,
above all, with him!"

Nanna took no notice of the remark, but asked, "Why are you here? I
wish to have no dealings with you, for no good can come of them."

"Would I come here for good? There is no good in any of your kind. I
came here to tell you that I was glad that there is one Borson less."

"There has been death among your own kin, mistress," said David, "and
such death as should make the living fear to bring it to remembrance."

"I know it. You ought to fear. Did you slay Nicol, as your father
slew Bele Trenby, by water? or did you poison him with drugs? or is
your hand red with his life-blood? And now, before the fish have had
time to pick his bones, you are wooing his wife."

"Will you let Nanna alone? She is ill."

"Ill? Babble! Look at her rosy cheeks! She has been listening to your
love-words. Who sent you to the _Sea Rover_? What were you doing
there? A great plot! A wicked plot against poor Nicol!"

"I went to the _Sea Rover_ because--"

"Very ready you were to go to Nicol's ship and to do your will there!
Oh, it was a great opportunity! None to see! none to tell tales!
But I know you! I know you! The black drop of murder is in every
Borson's veins."

"Mistress, you are an old woman, and you may say your say. If you
were a man it would be different. I would cut out your lying tongue,
or make it eat its own words."

With railing and insolence she defied him to the act, and David stood
looking at her with his hands in his pockets. As for Nanna, she
had thrown off her cloak and seated herself on Vala's couch. She
was trying to control her temper; but the little room was already
impregnated with Matilda's personality, and Nanna could not escape
from those indirect but powerful influences that distil from an
actively evil life.

"I wish, Matilda Sabiston, that you would leave my house," she said.
"I think that you have brought the devil in with you."

Then Matilda turned in her chair and looked at Nanna. Her face,
handsomely prominent in youth, had become with sin and age like
that of a bird of prey; it was all nose and two fierce, gleaming eyes.

"Do you talk of the devil?" she screamed. "You, who drove your
husband to sin, and sent your baby to hell!"

Then Nanna, with a pitiful cry, buried her f