“Miss Mackenzie,” he said, “I think you had better postpone doing anything in this matter for the present.”

“Why postpone it?” said she.

“Your brother’s death is very recent. It happened not above a fortnight since, I think.”

“And I want to have this settled at once, so that there shall be no distress. What’s the good of waiting?”

“Such things want thinking of, Miss Mackenzie.”

“But I have thought of it. All I want now is to have it done.”

A slight smile came across the puckered grey face of the lawyer as he felt the imperative nature of the instruction given to him. The lady had come there not to be advised, but to have her work done for her out of hand. But the smile was very melancholy, and soon passed away.

“Is the widow in immediate distress?” asked Mr Slow.

Now the fact was that Miss Mackenzie herself had been in good funds, having had ready money in her hands from the time of her brother Walter’s death; and for the last year she had by no means spent her full income. She had, therefore, given her sister-in-law money, and had paid the small debts which had come in, as such small debts will come in, directly the dead man’s body was under ground. Nay, some had come in and had been paid while the man was yet dying. She exclaimed, therefore, that her sister-in-law was not absolutely in immediate want.

“And does she keep the house?” asked the lawyer.

Then Miss Mackenzie explained that Mrs Tom intended, if possible, to keep the house, and to take some lady in to lodge with her.

“Then there cannot be any immediate hurry,” urged the lawyer; “and as the sum of money in question is large, I really think the matter should be considered.”

But Miss Mackenzie still pressed it. She was very anxious to make him understand—and of course he did understand at once—that she had no wish to hurry him in his work. All that she required of him was an assurance that he accepted her instructions, and that the thing should be done with not more than the ordinary amount of legal delay.

“You can pay her what you like out of your own income,” said the lawyer.

“But that is not what I promised,” said Margaret Mackenzie.

Then there was silence among them all. Mr Ball had said very little since he had been sitting in that room, and now it was not he who broke the silence. He was still thinking of that deed of gift, and wondering whether it had anything to do with Mr Slow’s unwillingness to undertake the commission which Margaret wished to give him. At last Mr Slow got up from his chair, and spoke as follows:

“Mr Ball, I hope you will excuse me; but I have a word or two to say to Miss Mackenzie, which I had rather say to her alone.”

“Certainly,” said Mr Ball, rising and preparing to go.