They poured their bitterness upon Raymond Ironsyde; then a thought came into Mary Dinnett’s mind and she left Sabina.  Judging the time, she put on her bonnet presently and walked out to the road whence Raymond would return from his work at the luncheon hour.

She stood beside the road at a stile that led into the fields, and as Raymond, deep in thought, passed her without looking up, he saw something cast at his feet and for a moment stood still.  With a soft thud his bunch of grapes fell ruined in the dust before him and, starting back, he looked at the stile and saw Sabina’s mother gazing at him red-faced and furious.  Neither spoke.  The woman’s countenance told her hatred and loathing; the man shrugged his shoulders and, after one swift glance at her, proceeded on his way without quickening or slackening his stride.

He heard her spit behind him and found time to regret that a woman of Mary’s calibre should be at Sabina’s side.  Such concentrated hate astonished him a little.  There was no reason in it; nothing could be gained by it.  This senseless act of a fool merely made him impatient.  But he smiled before he reached North Hill House to think that but for the interposition of chance and fortune, this brainless old woman might have become his mother-in-law.

CHAPTER XXX

A TRIUMPH OF REASON

Mrs. Northover took care that her interrupted conversation with Job Legg should be completed; and he, too, was anxious, that she should know his position.  But he realised the danger very fully and was circumspect in his criticism of Richard Gurd’s attitude toward ‘The Seven Stars.’

“For my part,” said Job on the evening that preceded a very important event, “I still repeat that you have a right to consider we’re higher class than ‘The Tiger’; and to speak of the renowned garden as a ’bit of grass’ was going much too far.  It shows a wrong disposition, and it wasn’t a gentlemanly thing, and if it weren’t such a wicked falsehood, you might laugh at it for jealousy.”

“Who ever would have thought the man jealous?” she asked.

“These failings will out,” declared Mr. Legg.  “And seeing you mean to take him, it is as well you know it.”

She nodded rather gloomily.

“Your choice of words is above praise, I’m sure, Job,” she said.  “For such a simple and straightforward man, you’ve a wonderful knowledge of the human heart.”

“Through tribulation I’ve come to it,” he answered.  “However, I’m here to help you, not talk about my own bitter disappointments.  And very willing I am to help you when it can be done.”

“D’you think you could speak to Richard for me, and put out the truth concerning ’The Seven Stars’?” she asked.  But Mr. Legg, simple though he might be, was not as simple as that.