value, I should imagine, for thinking purposes, it doesn't
much matter. Ah, here's Neeld. He came up with me."

The advent of Neeld produced more discussion. Yet Southend said nothing
of the matter which he had brought to Lady Evenswood's attention.
Discretion was necessary there. Besides he wished to know how the land
lay as to Janie Iver. On that subject his friend preserved silence.

"And the whole thing was actually in old Joe's diary!" exclaimed
Southend.

Neeld, always annoyed at the "Joe," admitted that the main facts had
been recorded in Mr Cholderton's Journal, and that he himself had known
them when nobody else in England did--save, of course, the conspirators
themselves.

"And you kept it dark? I didn't know you were as deep as that, Neeld."
He looked at the old gentleman with great amazement.

"Neeld was in an exceedingly difficult position," said Iver. "I've come
to see that." He paused, looking at Southend with an amused air. "You
introduced us to one another," he reminded him with a smile.

"Bless my soul, so I did! I'd forgotten. Well, it seems my fate too to
be mixed up in the affair." Just at present, however, he was assisting
fate rather actively.

"It's everybody's. The Blent's on fire from Mingham to the sea."

"I've seen Harry Tristram."

"Ah, how is he?" asked Neeld.

"Never saw a young man more composed in all my life. And he couldn't be
better satisfied with himself if he'd turned out to be a duke."

"We know Harry's airs," Iver said, smiling indulgently. "But there's
stuff in him." A note of regret came into his voice. "He treated me very
badly--I know Neeld won't admit it, but he did. Still I like him and I'd
help him if I could."

"Well, he atoned for anything wrong by owning up in the end," remarked
Southend.

"That wasn't for my sake or for---- Well, it had nothing to do with us.
As far as we were concerned he'd be at Blent to-day. It was Cecily
Gainsborough who did it."

"Yes. I wonder----"

Iver rose decisively. "Look here, Southend, if you're going to do
exactly what all my friends and neighbors, beginning with Miss
Swinkerton, are doing, I shall go and write letters." With a nod he
walked into the next room, leaving Neeld alone with his inquisitive
friend. Southend lost no time.

"What's happened about Janie Iver? There was some talk----"

"It's all over," whispered Neeld with needless caution. "He released
her, and she accepted the release."

"What, on the grou