There was a dead silence.

Ralph was enraged with his own weakness.  He had begun the morning’s work with such determination; but the strange sweet atmosphere of the house, the file of women coming in one by one with their air of innocence and defencelessness had affected him.  In spite of himself his religious side had asserted itself, and he found himself almost tremulous now.

He made a great effort at self-repression, and looked up with hard bright eyes at his sister.

“There must be no crying or rebellion,” he said.  “You must come with me to-morrow.  I shall send you to Overfield.”

Still Margaret said nothing.  She was staring at him now, white-faced with parted lips.

“You are the last?” he said with a touch of harshness, standing up with his hands on the table.  “Tell the Reverend Mother I have done.”

Then she rose too.

“Ralph,” she cried, “my brother!  For Jesu’s sake—­”

“Tell the Reverend Mother,” he said again, his eyes hard with decision.

She turned and went out without a word.

* * * * *

Ralph found the interview with the Abbess even more difficult than he had expected.

Once her face twitched with tears; but she drove them back bravely and faced him again.

“Do you mean to tell me, Mr. Torridon, that you intend to take your sister away?”

Ralph bowed.

“And that Dame Martha has asked to be released?”

Again he bowed.

“Are you not afraid, sir, to do such work?”

Ralph smiled bitterly.

“I am not, Reverend Mother,” he said.  “I know too much.”

“From whom?”

“Oh! not from your nuns,” he said sharply, “they of course know nothing, or at least will tell me nothing.  It was from Dr. Layton.”

“And what did Dr. Layton tell you?”

“I can hardly tell you that, Reverend Mother; it is not fit for your ears.”

She looked at him steadily.

“And you believe it?”

Ralph smiled.

“That makes no difference,” he said.  “I am acting by his Grace’s orders.”

There was silence for a moment.

“Then may our Lord have mercy on you!” she said.

She turned to where the gold cope gleamed over the chair, with the mitre and censer lying on its folds.

“And those too?” she asked.

“Those too,” said Ralph.

She turned towards the door without a word.

“There are the fees as well,” remarked Ralph.  “We can arrange those this evening, Reverend Mother.”

The little stiff figure turned and waited at the door.  “And at what time will you dine, sir?”

“Immediately,” said Ralph.

* * * * *

He was served at dinner with the same courtesy as before; but the lay sister’s eyes were red, and her hands shook as she shifted the plates.  Neither spoke a word till towards the end of the meal.