And the Three Fates watched her. For when Miss Mason sat in her chair with just that particular expression on her face, it meant that she was not over-pleased with their weaving, and that she wished to unravel and re-weave their latest pattern to a fashion more according to their mind. And the Three Fates looked at each other, and they nodded their three old heads, and waited with amusement in their eyes to see what she would do. As a matter of fact they had made this particular bit of muddle in their weaving on purpose that she might have the pleasure of putting it straight.
But it was a bit of straightening about which Miss Mason felt a trifle nervous. Her fingers itched to be at the threads, unravelling and untwisting the knots, yet somehow she felt a little frightened to begin.
It was quite three hours before she made up her mind. Then she suddenly crossed to her writing-table and wrote a letter to Mr. Davis who had rooms in Gray’s Inn. In the letter she stated that she wished to see him at eleven o’clock precisely the following morning on urgent business.
And as she folded and sealed the letter the Three Fates laughed. For Miss Mason had put her fingers on the first knot.
“It is,” said Mr. Davis, “a most unusual proceeding.”
It was twelve o’clock on the following morning. He had been talking to Miss Mason for an hour, or rather she had been talking, and it was the third time that he had made the above statement.
“All the same,” said Miss Mason firmly, “it is my wish. And I understand that I have absolute control over my capital.”
“Absolute,” said Mr. Davis regretfully, looking at her with a kind of mild protest through his spectacles.
“Very well, then,” she went on, “have the deeds, or whatever you call them, drawn up immediately. I will come down to your office the day after to-morrow to sign them. I shall bring them away with me, and post them to you the moment I wish the matter put in full train. Is everything perfectly clear?”