would be immensely tiresome. And again--in the end as in the
beginning--he did not want the Gainsboroughs at Blent; above all not
just at the time when Blent was about to pass into his hands. It looked,
however, as though it would be extremely difficult to keep them away. Mr
Gainsborough was obviously a man who would not waste his chance of a
funeral; he might be fenced with till then, but it would need startling
measures to keep him from a funeral.

"I hate hearsey people," grumbled Harry, as he threw the letter down.
But the Gainsboroughs were soon to be driven out of his head by
something more immediate and threatening.

Blent Pool is a round basin, some fifty or sixty feet in diameter; the
banks are steep and the depth great: on the Blent Hall side there is no
approach to it, except through a thick wood overhanging the water; on
the other side the road up the valley runs close by, leaving a few yards
of turf between itself and the brink. The scene is gloomy except in
sunshine, and the place little frequented. It was a favorite haunt of
Harry Tristram's, and he lay on the grass one evening, smoking and
looking down on the black water; for the clouds were heavy above and
rain threatened. His own mood was in harmony, gloomy and dark, in
rebellion against the burden he carried, yet with no thought of laying
it down. He did not notice a man who came up the road and took his stand
just behind him, waiting there for a moment in silence and apparent
irresolution.

"Mr Tristram."

Harry turned his head and saw Major Duplay; the Major was grave, almost
solemn, as he raised his hat a trifle in formal salute.

"Do I interrupt you?"

"You couldn't have found a man more at leisure." Harry did not rise, but
gathered his knees up, clasping his hands round them and looking up in
Duplay's face. "You want to speak to me?"

"Yes, on a difficult matter." A visible embarrassment hung about the
Major; he seemed to have little liking for his task. "I'm aware," he
went on, "that I may lay myself open to some misunderstanding in what
I'm about to say. I shall beg you to remember that I am in a difficult
position, and that I am a gentleman and a soldier."

Harry said nothing; he waited with unmoved face and no sign of
perturbation.

"It's best to be plain," Duplay proceeded. "It's best to be open with
you. I have taken the liberty of following you here for that purpose."
He came a step nearer, and stood over Harry. "Certain facts