"But you have given me to understand——" I began.
"Never mind that," interrupted my wife. "Even now you don't know the secret, and I might find it inadvisable to tell you. Admitting the possibility that the ghost has not been truly laid, would you still insist upon remaining master of 'Hildebrand Hundred'?"
A vision of those strong, cruel hands, with their black-tufted knuckles, rose before me, and I shuddered.
"Or would you be willing that Little Hugh should enter upon his inheritance with this cloud hanging over it?"
"No, I wouldn't," I said soberly. "To be honest, I hadn't thought of it in that light."
"You see a woman has to consider all these things," rejoined Betty. "But you have been very patient, Hugh, and the winding up of my yarn won't take long. The crisis begins with Chalmers' coming to Stockbridge."
"For me, that was the denouement, the end of all things," I said shamefacedly, and Warriner roared.
"You see, I never suspected even that I was cast for the role of breaker up of homes," he remarked meditatively. "Betty and I were good friends, of course, but once you appeared on the sky line I was reduced to playing gooseberry. Besides, there never had been anyone else than Hilda for me."
"I'm only trying to explain my conduct," I retorted. "I'm well aware that nothing can excuse it. Shoot, Betty."
"Of course, Chalmers was coming to Stockbridge," went on Betty, "for the simple reason that Hilda was visiting me. Nevertheless, I was looking forward to his arrival, because he had promised to dig up certain data for me.