home had declared
to the unfortunate lady that she had now no alternative left to her.
She must bring an action against the man, or at any rate put the
matter into the hands of a lawyer with a view of ascertaining whether
she could do so with any chance of success. If she could not, she
must then make known her reason for remaining quiet. In answer to
this, Lady Mason had begun by praying her son to allow the matter to
pass by.

"But it will not pass by," Lucius had said.

"Yes, dearest, if we leave it, it will,--in a month or two. We can do
nothing by interference. Remember the old saying, You cannot touch
pitch without being defiled."

But Lucius had replied, almost with anger, that the pitch had already
touched him, and that he was defiled. "I cannot consent to hold the
property," he had said, "unless something be done." And then his
mother had bowed her head as she sat, and had covered her face with
her hands.

"I shall go to the man myself," Lucius had declared with energy.

"As your mother, Lucius, I implore you not to do so," she had said to
him through her tears.

"I must either do that or leave the country. It is impossible that I
should live here, hearing such things said of you, and doing nothing
to clear your name." To this she had made no actual reply, and now
he was standing at the attorney's door about to do that which he had
threatened.

They found Mr. Dockwrath sitting at his desk at the other side of
which was seated his clerk. He had not yet promoted himself to the
dignity of a private office, but generally used his parlour as such
when he was desirous of seeing his clients without disturbance. On
this occasion, however, when he saw young Mason enter, he made no
offer to withdraw. His hat was on his head as he sat on his stool,
and he did not even take it off as he returned the stiff salutation
of his visitor. "Keep your hat on your head, Mr. Orme," he said, as
Peregrine was about to take his off. "Well, gentlemen, what can I do
for you?"

Lucius looked at the clerk, and felt that there would be great
difficulty in talking about his mother before such a witness. "We
wish to see you in private, Mr. Dockwrath, for a few minutes--if it
be convenient."

"Is not this private enough?" said Dockwrath. "There is no one here
but my confidential clerk."

"If you could make it convenient--" began Lucius.

"Well, then, Mr. Mason, I cannot make it convenient, and there is the
long and the short of