talking in the world," she murmured, "will not change the
things that happened last night. They will not even smooth away the
evil memories."

Jeanne was silent. There was a thought in her head which had been there
twisting and biting its way in her brain through the silent hours of
the night and again in her waking moments. She looked down towards her
companion stretched at her feet.

"Kate," she said, "how did Mr. Andrew get the message that brought him
to the Red Hall last night?"

"I sent it," Kate answered. "I sent him word that there were things
going on at the Red Hall which I could not understand. I told him that
I thought it would be well if he came."

"You knew his address?" Jeanne asked, a little coldly.

"Yes!" Kate answered.

"You have written him before, perhaps?" Jeanne asked.

"Yes!" the girl answered absently.

There was a short silence. Each of the two seemed occupied in her own
thoughts. When Jeanne spoke again her manner was changed. The other
girl noticed it, without being conscious of the reason.

"What has happened this morning, do you know?" Jeanne asked.

"They are all at the Red Hall still," Kate answered. "Major Forrest
tried to leave this morning, but Mr. Andrew would not let him. He will
not let either of them go away until Lord Ronald is well enough to say
what shall be done."

"I wonder," Jeanne said, "what would have happened if Mr. Andrew had
not arrived last night."

"God knows!" Kate answered. "He is a wily brute, the man Forrest. How
was it that you," she added, "found Mr. Andrew?"

"I waited on the mound in the plantation," Jeanne said, "with my ear to
the ground, and presently I heard a pistol shot and then a scuffle, and
afterwards silence. I was frightened, and I made my way to the road and
hurried along toward the village. Then I saw a cart and I stopped it,
and inside was Mr. Andrew, on his way from Wells. I told him something
of what was happening, and he put me in the cart and sent me back. Then
he went on to the Red Hall."

Kate nodded slowly.

"I am glad that I sent for him," she said. "I am afraid that last night
there would have been bloodshed if he had not come. When he was there
there was not one who dared speak or move any more, except as he
directed. He is very strong, and he was made, I think, to command men."

Jeanne's lips quivered for a moment. Her eyes were fixed upon the
distant figure, motionless now, upon the raised sandbanks. Kate had
turn