"Beg pardon?"
"I suppose I can interfere? The village belongs to me, does it not?" she demanded.
"In a measure it does," said the factor. "Of course you are the Superior; but where feus have been granted, they have the land in perpetuity, while you have only the rent——"
"Oh, I can't interfere, then?" said she, with some disappointment that her sphere of activity seemed limited in that direction.
"You can step in to see that the conditions of the leases have been respected——"
"But I can't do things?
"They'll let you do whatever ye like—so long as it means spending money on them," said Mr. Purdie, with grim sarcasm.
"The inn, for example?"
"The inn is different. We built the inn. The landlord is only a yearly tenant."
"We will go down and see him at once, if you please, Mr. Purdie," said Mary, with promptitude. "I have a scheme in my head. Käthchen, are you tired?"