By-and-by she lifted her face. "How will you do it?" she asked, very quietly, meeting his eyes.
For the moment he did not seem to understand. Then, drawing in his breath, he laughed to himself—almost without sound, and yet she heard it.
"There's more than one way, if you was woman. But I've been reading the Bible: there's a deal about witches in the Bible, and so I came to understand ye." He stared at her and nodded.
Having once lifted her face, she could eye him steadily. But she made no answer.
He stooped and picked up the ladle at his feet. "You needn't be afraid," he said slowly: "I promised Trevarthen I wouldn't hurt you beforehand. And afterwards—it'll be soon over. D'ye know what I use this for? It's for melting bullets."
He felt in his waistcoat pocket, drew out a crown-piece, held it for a moment betwixt finger and thumb, and dropped it into the ladle.
"They say 'tis the surest way with a witch," said he; then, after a pause, "As for that lawyer-fellow of yours—"
And here he paused again, this time in some astonishment; for she had risen, and now with no fear in her eyes—only scorn.
"Go on," she commanded.
"Well," concluded Roger grimly, "where you fought me as my father's wife he fought for dirty pay, and where you cheated me he lead you into cheating. Therefore, if I caught him, he'd die no such easy death. Isn't that enough?"