“Thank you,” said Blanchard, very slowly.  “I lay I’ll never hear no better news than that on this airth.  Now I’m free—­free to do how I please, free to do it undriven.”

There was a long silence.  Grimbal poured out half a tumbler of brandy, added soda water, then handed the stimulant to Will; and Blauchard, after drinking, sat in comfort a while, rubbed his swollen jaw, and scraped the dried blood of Bonus off his hands.

“Why for did you chaange so sudden?” he asked, as Grimbal turned to his desk.

“I could tell you, but it doesn’t matter.  A letter in the mind looks different to one on paper; and duty often changes its appearance, too, when a man is honest with himself.  To be honest with yourself is the hardest sort of honesty.  I’ve had speech with others about this—­my brother more particularly.”

“I wish to God us could have settled it without no help from outside.”

Grimbal rang the bell, then answered.

“As to settling it, I know nothing about that.  I’ve settled with my own conscience—­such as it is.”

“I’d come for ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’”

“Now you have a definite answer.”

“An’ thank you.  Then what ’s it to be between us, when I come back?  May I ax that?  Them as ban’t enemies no more might grow to be friends—­eh?”

What response Grimbal would have made is doubtful.  He did not reply, for his servant, Lawrence Vallack, entered at the moment, and he turned abruptly upon the old man.

“Where ’s the letter I left upon my desk?  It was directed to Plymouth.”

“All right, sir, all right; don’t worrit.  I’ve eyes in my head for my betters still, thank God.  I seed un when I come to shut the shutters an’ sent Joe post-haste to the box.  ’T was in plenty of time for the mail.”

John emptied his lungs in a great respiration, half-sigh, half-groan.  He could not speak.  Only his fingers closed and he half lifted his hand as though to crush the smirking ancient.  Then he dropped his arm and looked at Blanchard, asking the question with his eyes that he could find no words for.

“I heard the mail go just ’fore the hare squealed,” said Will stolidly, “an’ the letter with it for certain.”

Grimbal started up and rushed to the hall while the other limped after him.

“Doan’t ‘e do nothin’ fulish.  I believe you never meant to post un.  Ess, I’ll take your solemn word for that.  An’ if you didn’t mean to send letter, ’t is as if you hadn’t sent un.  For my mind weer fixed, whatever you might do.”

“Don’t jaw, now!  There ’s time to stop the mail yet.  I can get to Moreton as soon or sooner than that crawling cart if I ride.  I won’t be fooled like this!”