"Mr. Paliser, I'm sorry, but it won't do."
"Damnation, why not?"
"It is all or nothing with him and maybe nothing in the end. I told him so. I told him that the courts view with no favour a woman who, having lived illicitly with a man, claims, on his demise, to be his widow. Such a claim is but the declaration of a woman entered after the death of her alleged husband and, as such, is inadmissible under Section 829 of the Code. I have posted myself very thoroughly in the matter, though I find it has been held——"
"Damn what has been held. It's all or nothing, is it?"
Jeroloman pulled at his long chin.
All, the wicked old man reflected. All! All would be ten million and ten million was less than a tenth of his wealth—ten million for which he had no earthly need, which it would fatigue him to spend, burden him to hoard, disgrace him to fight for, and which, normally, would go to a brat whom he had never seen and whom, as next in line, he hated.
Already he had decided. Though, it may be that on planes of which he knew nothing, long since it had been decided for him.
None the less it hurt. It hurt horribly. From a pocket, he drew a little bottle.
"Settle it then."
"On what basis?"