"Not exactly public, as I understand, sir. But the Castle has always used it. Green—that's the head-gardener—tells me so, at least."

"By legal right, do you mean?" Wilbraham had been called to the Bar, although he had never practised. No situation gives rise to greater confidence on legal problems.

"I don't think you'll find that his lordship will trouble much about that, sir," was Coltson's answer, as he picked up the cigar-case again and hurried into the library with it.

"What does the man mean by that?" asked Wilbraham scornfully. "It's a purely legal question—Lynborough must trouble about it." He rose and addressed Stabb somewhat as though that gentleman were the Court. "Not a public right of way? We don't argue that? Then it's a case of[Pg 42] dominant and servient tenement—a right of way by user as of right, or by a lost grant. That—or nothing!"

[Pg 42]

"I daresay," muttered Stabb very absently.

"Then what does Coltson mean——?"

"Coltson knows Ambrose—you don't. Ambrose will never go to law—but he'll go to bathe."

"But she'll go to law if he goes to bathe!" cried the lawyer.

Stabb blinked lazily, and seemed to loom enormous over his cigar. "I daresay—if she's got a good case," said he. "Do you know, Wilbraham, I don't much care whether she does or not? But in regard to her complexion——"

"What the devil does her complexion matter?" shouted Wilbraham.

"The human side of a thing always[Pg 43] matters," observed Leonard Stabb. "For instance—pray sit down, Wilbraham—standing up and talking loud prove nothing, if people would only believe it—the permanence of hierarchical systems may be historically observed to bear a direct relation to the emoluments."

[Pg 43]

"Would you mind telling me your opinion on two points, Stabb? We can go on with that argument of yours afterward."

"Say on, Wilbraham."

"Is Lynborough in his right senses?"

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