r greatest mistake was having your
sister to live with you. It does not do, and, considering Miss
Birdbrook's peculiar temper, it especially did not do in your case. Now
that things are different would you care to see your wife, and have a
quiet talk over matters?"

"No," said Jones, hurriedly. "I don't want to see her--at least, not
yet."

"Well, please yourself," replied the other. "Perhaps later on you will
come to see things differently."

The conversation then closed, the lawyer promising to let him know
should he secure an offer for the house.

Jones, so disturbed by this talk about his wife that he was revolving in
his mind plans to cut the whole business, said good-bye and took his
departure. But he was not destined to leave the building just yet.

He was descending the narrow old stairs when he saw some people coming
up, and drew back to let them pass.

A stout lady led the way and was followed by an elderly gentleman and a
younger lady in a large hat.

"Why it is Arthur," cried the stout woman. "How fortunate. Arthur, we
have come to see Mr. Collins, such a terrible thing has happened."

The unfortunate Jones now perceived that the lady with the huge hat was
the bird woman, the elderly gentleman he had never seen before, but the
elderly gentleman had evidently often seen him, was most probably a near
relative, to judge by the frigidity and insolence of his nod and general
demeanour. This old person had the Army stamp about him, and a very
decided chin with a cleft in it.

"Better not talk out here," said he, "come in, come in and see Collins."

Jones did not want in the least to go in and see Collins, but he was
burning to know what this dreadful thing was that had happened. He half
dreaded that it had to do with Rochester's suicide. He followed the
party, and next moment found himself again in Collins' room, where the
lawyer pointed out chairs to the ladies, closed the door, and came back
to his desk table where he seated himself.

"Oh, Mr. Collins," said the elderly lady, "such a dreadful thing has
happened--coal--they have found coal." She collapsed.

The old gentleman with the cleft chin took up the matter.

"This idiot," said he, indicating Jones, "has sold a coal mine, worth
maybe a million, for five thousand. The Glanafwyn property has turned up
coal. I only heard of it last night, and by accident. Struthers said to
me straight out in the club, 'Do you know that bit of land in Glamorgan,