“The occasion seems to bring that something out,” the lawyer remarked.  “When I proposed the separation, and mentioned my reasons, I expected to find some difficulty in persuading Mrs. Presty to give up the adventurous journey with her daughter and her grandchild.  I reminded her that she had friends in London who would receive her, and got snubbed for taking the liberty.  ’I know that as well as you do.  Come along—­I’m ready to go with you.’  It isn’t agreeable to my self-esteem to own it, but I expected to hear her say that she would consent to any sacrifice for the sake of her dear daughter.  No such clap-trap as that passed her lips.  She owned the true motive with a superiority to cant which won my sincerest respect.  ‘I’ll do anything,’ she said, ’to baffle Herbert Linley and the spies he has set to watch us.’  I can’t tell you how glad I was that she had her reward on the same day.  We were too late at the station, and we had to wait for the next train.  And what do you think happened?  The two scoundrels followed us instead of following Mrs. Linley!  They had inquired no doubt at the livery stables where we hired the carriage—­had recognized the description of us—­and had taken the long journey to London for nothing.  Mrs. Presty and I shook hands at the terminus the best friends that ever traveled together with the best of motives.  After that, I think I deserve another glass of wine.”

“Go on with your story, and you shall have another bottle!” cried Randal.  “What did Catherine and the child do after they left you?”

“They did the safest thing—­they left England.  Mrs. Linley distinguished herself on this occasion.  It was her excellent idea to avoid popular ports of departure, like Folkestone and Dover, which were sure to be watched, and to get away (if the thing could be done) from some place on the east coast.  We consulted our guide and found that a line of steamers sailed from Hull to Bremen once a week.  A tedious journey from our part of Cumberland, with some troublesome changing of trains, but they got there in time to embark.  My first news of them reached me in a telegram from Bremen.  There they waited for further instructions.  I sent the instructions by a thoroughly capable and trustworthy man—­an Italian courier, known to me by an experience of twenty years.  Shall I confess it?  I thought I had done rather a clever thing in providing Mrs. Linley with a friend in need while I was away from her.”

“I think so, too,” said Randal.

“Wrong, completely wrong.  I had made a mistake—­I had been too clever, and I got my reward accordingly.  You know how I advised Mrs. Linley?”

“Yes.  You persuaded her, with the greatest difficulty, to apply for a Divorce.”

“Very well.  I had made all the necessary arrangements for the trial, when I received a letter from Germany.  My charming client had changed her mind, and declined to apply for the Divorce.  There was my reward for having been too clever!”