exercise my right of conquest
and get the fruits of conquest, two ways seemed open. There could be a
will; you'll remember my consulting you on that point and your reply?"

"Did he make a will?" asked Mary quickly.

"No. A will was open to serious objections. Even supposing your
evidence--which, of course, I wanted in case of need--had been
satisfactory, a fight with the Radbolts would have been unpleasant.
Worse than that--as long as I lived I should have been blackmailed by
Sergeant Hooper, who knew Mr. Saffron's condition, though he didn't know
about the money here. Even before you found out about my poor old
friend, I had decided against a will--though, perhaps, I might have
squared the Radbolts by just taking this little place--and its
contents--and letting them take the rest. That too became impossible
after your discovery. There remained then, the money in the Tower. I
could make quite sure of that, wait for his death, and then enjoy it.
And, upon my word, why shouldn't I? He'd have been much gratified by my
going to Morocco; and he'd certainly much sooner that I had the
money--if it couldn't go to Morocco--than that the Radbolts should get
it. That was the way the question presented itself to me; and I'm a poor
man, with no obvious career before me. The right of conquest appealed to
me strongly, Doctor Mary."

"I can see that you may have been greatly tempted," said Mary in a grave
and troubled voice. "And the circumstances did enable you to make excuses
for what you thought of doing."

"Excuses? You won't even go so far as to call it a doubtful case? One
that a casuist could argue either way?" Beaumaroy was smiling again now.

"Even if I did, men of--"

"Yes, Doctor Mary--of sensitive honor!"

"Decide doubtful cases against themselves in money matters."

"Oh, I say, is that doctrine current in business circles? I've been in
business myself, and I doubt it."

"They do--men of real honor," Mary persisted.

"So that's how great fortunes are made? That's how individuals--to say
nothing of nations--rise to wealth and power! And I never knew it,"
Beaumaroy reflected in a gentle voice. His eye caught Mary's, and she
gave a little laugh. "By deciding doubtful cases against themselves!
Dear me, yes!"

"I didn't say they rose to greatness and power."

"Then the people who do rise to greatness and power--and the
nations--don't they go by right of conquest, Doctor Mary? Don't they
decide cases in their own f