anding, and she looked about. The tall oats rippled before the
wind and soft shadows trailed across the hillside. When the white clouds
passed, the dale was filled with light that jarred her hopelessness.

"As you haven't begun yet, I'll make a guess," said Kit. "Things have
been going wrong at Tarnside since Gerald came home? Well, if you can
give me a few particulars, it's possible I can help."

His steady glance was comforting and Grace's reserve gave way. It was
humiliating, and in a sense disloyal, to talk about Gerald, but her pride
had gone and she was suddenly inspired by a strange confidence. Perhaps
Kit could help; one could trust him and he was not the man to be daunted
by obstacles.

"Yes," she said vaguely; "it's Gerald--"

"So I thought," Kit remarked. "Very well. You had better tell me all you
know, or, anyhow, all you can."

She gave him a quick glance to see what he meant, but his brown face was
inscrutable, and with an effort, talking fast in order to finish before
her courage failed, she narrated what she had heard. She could not, of
course, tell him all, and, indeed, Mrs. Osborn's story left much to be
explained.

"Ah," said Kit, "I begin to see a light, although the thing's not quite
plain yet. Anyhow, your father needs money and must ask his friends."
He paused and resumed in a voice he tried to make careless: "Has he
asked Thorn?"

Grace hesitated and turned her head as she felt the blood creep into her
face. "Yes; you see, there is nobody else."

"I'm not sure about that. However, it looks as if Thorn had not sent his
answer yet and there's not much time to lose. You expect the man from
London to-night?"

Grace said they did and studied Kit while he pondered. His preoccupied
look indicated that he was working out some plan and did not understand
how bold she had been. He did not seem at all surprised that she had come
to him. She had broken the family traditions by giving him her
confidence, but she felt happier.

"I'd like to see Gerald," he said. "It's important, and I'll be at
Ashness at four o'clock. If he will not come, you must let me know."

"I'll send him if I can," said Grace, who got up. Then she hesitated and
looked away across the field. "Perhaps I ought not to have told you, but
I felt I must, and I'm glad I did."

Kit smiled and after walking to the gate with her went on with his
mowing. Her story left out much he wanted to know, but he thought he saw
where it led and