ANDERSON (shocked). Oh!

MRS. DUDGEON (with a touch of shame). Well, I am Richard's
mother. If I am against him who has any right to be for him?
(Trying to conciliate him.) Won't you sit down, Mr. Anderson? I
should have asked you before; but I'm so troubled.

ANDERSON. Thank you-- (He takes a chair from beside the
fireplace, and turns it so that he can sit comfortably at the
fire. When he is seated he adds, in the tone of a man who knows
that he is opening a difficult subject.) Has Christy told you
about the new will?

MRS. DUDGEON (all her fears returning). The new will! Did
Timothy--? (She breaks off, gasping, unable to complete the
question.)

ANDERSON. Yes. In his last hours he changed his mind.

MRS. DUDGEON (white with intense rage). And you let him rob me?

ANDERSON. I had no power to prevent him giving what was his to
his own son.

MRS. DUDGEON. He had nothing of his own. His money was the money
I brought him as my marriage portion. It was for me to deal with
my own money and my own son. He dare not have done it if I had
been with him; and well he knew it. That was why he stole away
like a thief to take advantage of the law to rob me by making a