"I don't see" began Renny, but Piers took the little boy by the arm and put him into the hall.
He stood there ruffled, like a young robin pushed from the nest, looking at the door so inexorably shut against him. He heard someone hurrying down the stairs and saw that it was Pheasant.
"Oh," she said, as she saw the closed door, "I am late! I had to run upstairs to Mooey. I wonder what I'd better do."
"Go and fetch Mooey," advised Wakefield, glumly. "P'r'aps they'll let you in if you've a kid in your arms. Meggie's got her baby."
Pheasant stared. "How funny! I've heard of women taking babies to police courts to influence the jury. Maybe she thinks. . . ."
"There's only the family in there," said Wakefield, "and I think it was filthy to put me out."
"Did they? I wonder if they'll want me! Piers didn't say to come, but then he didn't say not to come. I wonder. . . ."
Wakefield could not conscientiously encourage her.
"I think you'd better not go in, my girl," he advised. "You're safer out here with me."
"If they think I'm after the old money!" she cried angrily.
"I bet I get it," he said, boastfully.
"I bet you don't!"
He put his eye to the keyhole. He could see nothing but Mr. Patton's hands fumbling among papers. A good deal of coughing came from within. The family seemed to be collectively clearing its throat. Then Mr. Patton began to speak in a mumbling, unintelligible voice.
Wakefield looked around to where Pheasant had been standing. She was just disappearing up on the landing. He thought he would go out for a breath of fresh air while the will was being read.
"I wonder how long it will take," he said to Rags, who had just missed seeing him with his eye to the keyhole.
"It'll take some time," replied Rags, dusting the
