please. There is something I must say to him. I will
not forget myself, I promise you!"

"No, Lady Clifford, really, not to-day. It wouldn't be wise. We must
get him quiet."

Sir Charles interposed in a whisper:

"It's quite settled, my dear, I've nothing further to say. You will
see that I am right."

She burst out hysterically, trying to get past Esther to the bed:

"No, no, you do not understand; you are doing a terrible thing!
Charles darling, if you love me..."

She broke off abruptly, staring at the hall door.

Following her gaze, Esther saw that Roger had just entered and was
looking gravely from one to the other of the three. It seemed likely
that he had heard the disturbance and was come to investigate.

"There he is now!" cried Therese, pointing at her stepson. "Tell him
you will make some other arrangement, that you have changed your mind;
you will, you must!"

Esther noticed that Roger displayed no astonishment whatever, merely
glancing expectantly at his father. The old man's lips twisted into a
grim smile as he remarked dryly:

"You behave as if you were quite certain I was going to die, my dear."

A swift change came over her face. Pushing Esther aside, she threw
herself on her knees beside the bed, grasping her husband's bony hand
and pressing it against her cheek emotionally.

"Ah, why do you say such things. You are too cruel; you want to make
me suffer!"

"There, there, don't make a song about it. Of course I don't want to
make you suffer. Now go. I want to rest."

Still clinging to his hand, she began to weep, convulsively, without
restraint. Esther, greatly embarrassed, made two attempts to lift her
up, but she resisted. At last Roger bent over the huddled figure and
touched her on the shoulder.

"See here, Therese," he whispered, so low that the rather deaf old man
did not catch his words, "I don't like this arrangement any more than
you do, but if we oppose him now it can only do harm. Leave him to me,
and when he's well enough I'll tackle him again."

The weeping ceased, she stiffened to attention, her face still hidden.
Then slowly she raised her head, her cheeks streaked with tears.
Little rivulets of black coursed from her lashes. For several seconds
her gaze swept his countenance, her expression strangely hostile, yet
enigmatic. Watching her, Esther could not possibly guess what was
going on behind that mask.

"Very well," Lady Clifford murmured at last