"A charming spot, Mr. Rolfe--charming! Rather shall I say, retired, if not solitary, however."
"Say what you please, sir," retorted Gideon, grimly and calmly. "I am waiting to learn the business you have with me."
"Mother," he said--"this lady is my mother, Mr. Rolfe--I think, I really think you would find it pleasant and refreshing on the bench which I observed outside the door."
With a little deprecatory air the lady got up and instantly left the cottage.
Then Stephen's manner changed. Leaning forward he fixed his gray eyes on Gideon Rolfe's stern face and said:
Gideon started, and, with a muttered oath, raised the ax.
Stephen's face turned as white as his spotless collar, but he did not shrink.
"My name is Davenant," he repeated--"Stephen Davenant. I am afraid the name has some unpleasant associations attached to it. I beg to remind you, if that should be the case, that those associations are not connected with any fault of mine."
"Stephen Davenant. I am the nephew of Squire Davenant--Ralph Davenant. The nephew of Ralph Davenant. I think you can guess my business with you."
"Do you come from--him?" he asked, hoarsely.
"In a certain sense, yes," he said. "No doubt you have heard the sad news. My uncle is dead."
"Dead!" repeated Gideon, not in the tone of a man who had lost a friend, but in that of one who had lost an enemy.
"Yes," said Stephen, wiping his dry eyes with his spotless handkerchief; "my poor uncle died three days ago. I am afraid I have not broken it as softly as I should have done. You knew him well?"
"Then you know how great a loss the county has suffered in----"
"Spare your fine phrases. Come to your business with me. What brings you here?"
"I am here in consequence of a communication made to me by my uncle on his death-bed. Are you alone?"
Gideon waved his hand with passionate impatience.
"That communication," Stephen continued, "concerns a certain young lady----"
"My uncle told me that I should find a young lady, in whose future he was greatly interested, in the charge of a certain person named Gideon Rolfe."
"Well, did he tell you any more than that?"
"So," said Gideon Rolfe, "he left it to me to tell the story of his crime. You are Ralph Davenant's nephew. You are the nephew of a villain and a scoundrel!"