“Between mother and son, I may speak,” I answered Rupert, “and if you want to know, though what business it is of yours I can’t say, I should be willing to take Mr. Parable if the idea got in his mind.”

“Right then,” answered Rupert.  “It damn soon will get in his mind.”

And he was gone.

I heard the end of the tale next day, when Arthur himself looked in.

He was a bit comical tempered at first, but he thawed out after a drop and asked me to marry him, and I asked whether it was from the heart, or there lay anything behind.  And then he told me that Rupert had been to see him and told him that I wanted him cruel and that he must take me; and that if he didn’t, he wouldn’t wed Minnie!  “Your son’s a man,” said Arthur, “as I won’t neighbour with, Mary, and you mustn’t expect I shall; but there’s a hateful, cold-blooded power about your Rupert.  And there’s mysteries hid in him.  And he’s one too many for me, or any other decent and orderly spirit.  Of course, if I’ve got to choose between having my darter on my hands for ever and another wife, only a lunatic would hesitate, and since it had to be, I’d a lot rather it was you than any other I can call to mind.  And truth’s truth, and I hope you’ll allow for the queerness, and take a man who’s very addicted to you and can be trusted to serve you as you deserve.”

With that I told him he must court me without any regard to Rupert, and explained the whole plot was Rupert’s, and not mine.

“There’s something devious about it,” I said, “or it wouldn’t be Rupert.  You exercise your manhood, Arthur,” I said, “and make up your own mind, and don’t let my son make it up for you.  ’Tis past bearing,” I said, “and I won’t stand for it.  Who be he to drive us?”

“You swear afore your God it wasn’t your own idea,” ordered Arthur, and he cheered up when I put my hand on the Book in my parlour and swore most solemn I’d never thought of no such thing.

“In that case,” he said, “I feel a good bit hopefuller, and when you ax if Rupert looked ahead with his eye to the main chance, of course he did.  If you come to me, mine’s yours when I go to ground, or else Minnie’s, so Rupert knows the future’s safe either way.”

“There’s my son John,” I said, “but this I tell you, Arthur, I’ll come to you on one condition only, that you leave all to Minnie after I’m gone.  For it shall never be said that I stood between her and her own.  Her, or her childer, must be the gainers.”

He laughed at the thought of childer, with Minnie and my Rupert for their parents; and from that time he warmed up and showed his true nature, and we was tokened three days later, so as I was able to tell Mr. Sweet about it, when he’d thought over his mistake and crept on to the warpath again.

And the marriages took place in due course, and me and Arthur was properly happy; and when old Dowager Lady Martin went home, we found the mystery solved.