"Why, yes, if I could be of any service. But one wouldn't like to
intrude. There are executors to the will. I don't know that it is
quite my place."

"I don't believe there will be much intruding--of _your_ sort. And
the executors have got nothing to do now. Who are they?"

"Jobling and Cardwell, I believe. Men down town. Perhaps she might
like to see a neighbor. Yes, I think I will go. You can drive me
round, Rodney, some evening soon. Whom has she, of her own people, I
wonder?"

"Only her sister, Mrs. Lowndes, you know. The brother-in-law isn't
much, I imagine."

"Stephen A. Lowndes? No. Broken-down and out of the world. He
couldn't advise to any purpose. I fancy Argenter has been holding
_him_ up."

"I think they'll be very glad to see you, sir."

Rodney drove his father over the next night. Mr. Sherrett went in
alone. Rodney sat in the chaise outside.

Mr. Sherrett waited some minutes after he had sent up his card, and
then Sylvie came down to him, looking pale in her black dress, and
with the trouble really in her young eyes, over which the brows bent
with a strange heaviness.

"I could not persuade mother to come down," she said. "She does not