tanding almost under the lamp, and there were heavy
drooping shadows on his face; he looked five years older than when Dick
had last seen him--only at Easter. But his voice was confident and
self-respecting enough.

"My dear Jack," he was saying, "you really mustn't interrupt. I've only
just--" Then he broke off as he recognized the others.

"So you've given me away after all," he said with a certain sternness to
the clergyman.

"Indeed I haven't," cried that artless young man. "They came quite
unexpectedly this morning."

"And you've told them that they could catch me here," said Frank "Well,
it makes no difference. I'm going on--Hullo! Dick!"

"Look here!" said Dick. "It's really serious. You've heard about--" His
voice broke.

"I've heard about it," said Frank. "But that doesn't make any difference
for to-night."

"But my dear man," cried Jack, seizing him by the lapel of his coat,
"it's simply ridiculous. We've come down here on purpose--you're killing
yourself--"

"One moment," said Frank. "Tell me exactly what you want."

Dick pushed to the front.

"Let him alone, you fellows.... This is what we want, Frank. We want you
to come straight to the clergy-house for to-night. To-morrow you and
I'll go and see the lawyers first thing in the morning, and go up to
Merefield by the afternoon train. I'm sorry, but you've really got to go
through with it. You're the head of the family now. They'll be all
waiting for you there, and they can't do anything without you. This
mustn't get into the papers. Fortunately, not a soul knows of it yet,
though they would have if you'd been half an hour later. Now, come
along."

"One moment," said Frank. "I agree with nearly all that you've said. I
quite agree with you that"--he paused a moment--"that the head of the
family should be at Merefield to-morrow night. But for to-night you
three must just go round to the clergy-house and wait. I've got to
finish my job clean out--and--"

"What job?" cried two voices simultaneously.

Frank leaned against the wall and put his hands in his pockets.

"I really don't propose to go into all that now. It'd take an hour. But
two of you know most of the story. In a dozen words it's this--I've got
the girl away, and now I'm going to tell the man, and tell him a few
other things at the same time. That's the whole thing. Now clear off,
please. (I'm awfully obliged, you know, and all that), but you really
must let me finish it before I do a