on a
hill, known locally as "The Heights" there was a grove of trees. Below
the hill, at one place cutting deep into it and making a precipitous
cliff, was a little river. At the point where the stream had bitten
into the hill it had washed for itself a defile, the bottom
rock-covered, so that the waters swirled over it in foam.

The Heights was the favorite trysting place of lovers, and many were
the pleasant spots there. With evening coming on, it was almost sure
to be deserted, though later, if there was a moon, murmuring voices
would mingle with the eclipse of the swirling waters in the gully below.

"Yes, it's a quiet place for a talk," mused the colonel.

The man and woman passed on. Behind them came the shadower, and behind
him Aaron Grafton.

Up The Heights walked the leading pair, seemingly unaware of the
presence of any one but themselves. Into the shadows they strolled,
still stiff and uncompromising, both of them. At last the woman,
halting near the edge of the cliff, beyond which the woods were
thicker, faced the man.

"This is far enough," she said, and she turned so that the fast-fading
light of the west was on her veiled face. She did not raise the mesh.

"Yes, this is far enough, I suppose," said the man, and there was a
sneer in his tones. "Too far, perhaps. But--"

"I did not come here to discuss anything with you but the matter you
spoke of in your note," cut in the woman. "Did you bring my diamonds
as you promised?"

"Yes, I have them."

His voice was as cold as hers.

"Then give them to me and let me go. I don't know why I consented to
meet you, except that you said you would give them only to me,
personally. And I don't, even for that, know why I came here. I--"

"Possibly in memory of other days?" the man sneered.

"Never!" she answered bitterly. "Oh, never that!"

"Well, as you choose," he went on, with a slight shrug of the
shoulders. "But I have a few things I want to say to you, and I didn't
want the whole village babbling about it. Too many know me here, so I
kept out of sight as much as I could."

"Say what you have to say, and quickly. Give me my diamonds, to which
I have a right, and let me go. That is all I ask of you."

"I'm afraid it can't be done so quickly as all that," and the man
laughed cuttingly. "In the first place, I want you to sign a paper. I
have it with me, also a fountain pen. I've a flashlight to let you
read what you sign, in case