children.

"A painful business, my lady. The poor man was past his work--a nuisance
to himself and to others. These last scenes of our poor mortality--
often, as it seems to us (could _we_ be the judges), so unduly
protracted--But some steps had to be taken. The ferry was becoming a
scandal. I felt called upon to act, and to act firmly. If I may use the
expression, your ladyship's feelings in the matter would naturally be
those which do honour to your ladyship's sex; they would be, shall I
say--er--"

"Why not say 'womanly,' Mr. Rosewarne?"

"Ha, precisely--womanly. I did my best to spare them."

"We will talk of that later. Just now, you will please instruct us how
best to release the poor man, and at once. May I remind you that the
horses are taking cold?"

"The horses?" Mr. Sam stared from Lady Killiow to Sir George.
"Her ladyship doesn't tell me that she was actually proposing to drive to
Bodmin?"

"I start within five minutes."

"But it is useless!"

"Useless?"

"The man is dead."

"Mr. Rosewarne--"

Mr. Sam drew a telegram from his pocket. "I received this as I was
leaving home. The governor of the prison very kindly communicated with me
as soon as the office opened. The prisoner--as I heard from the policeman
who escorted him--collapsed almost as soon as they admitted him.
I telegraphed at once to the governor, assuring him of my interest in the
case and requesting information. This is his reply: '_ Vro died
three-thirty this morning. Doctor supposes senile decay._' It was
considerate of him to make this addition, for it will satisfy your
ladyship that we acted, though unwillingly, with the plainest possible
justification. The man was hopelessly past his work."

Sir George, who had been staring out of window, wheeled about abruptly,
lifted his head, and gazed at Mr. Sam for some twenty seconds with a
wondering interest. Then he turned to Lady Killiow.

"Shall I send back the carriage?"

"Thank you," she said; and he went out, with a glance at her face which
silently expressed many things.

"Mr. Rosewarne," she began, when they were alone, "if I began to say what
I think of this business, a person of your instincts would at once fall to
supposing that I shifted the blame on to your shoulders, which is just the
last thing in the world I mean to do. But precisely because I am guilty,
and precisely because I accept responsibility for my steward's actions, a
steward who conceals