"Dora will have to be told," groaned the colonel.

"No, certainly not," cried Ormsby. "If he attempts to show his face in
New York, I'll have him arrested."

"No, no, Ormsby, you wouldn't do that. I must confess, it isn't any
pleasure to hear that he's alive. It's a confounded nuisance! His
death--damn it all! He sha'n't see her. They mustn't meet, Ormsby!"

"No, of course not--of course not. We'll have to send him to jail."

"Ormsby, you couldn't do it--you couldn't."

"Well, he mustn't see Dora."

"No--I'll attend to that."

The colonel read the telegram again.

"Arrived at Boston Parker House this morning. Start home this
afternoon. Send message. Dying to see you.

"DICK SWINTON."

"What does the fool want to come home for?" growled the colonel. "Hasn't
he any consideration for his mother and father and sister? Everybody
thinks he's dead--why doesn't he remain dead? He sha'n't upset my girl.
I'll see to that. I'll--I'll meet him myself."

"A good idea," observed Ormsby, who had grown thoughtful. "For my part,
my duty is plain. A warrant is out for his arrest. I shall give
information to the police that he is in the country again."

"No, Ormsby--no!" pleaded the colonel. "You'll utterly upset yourself
with Dora. You won't stand a ghost of a chance.

"A hero with handcuffs doesn't cut an agreeable figure, or stand much of
a chance. Dora has glorified him, you must remember. There will be a
reaction of feeling. She'll alter her opinion, when she knows he's a
criminal, flying from justice. They gave him his life, I suppose, because
he hadn't the courage to die, and keep his country's secrets. The
traitor!"

They resolved to say nothing of the arrival of the telegram. The colonel
gave out that business affairs necessitated a journey to Boston, and Dora
was to be told that he would be back in the evening.

Ormsby drove the colonel to the station in his motor. Afterward, he
called at police-headquarters, and then at the bank. There, he wrote a
letter to Herresford, reopening the matter of the seven thousand dollars,
which had lain dormant all this time, true to the promise made to Dora.
He had let the quarrel stand in abeyance in case of accidents. This was
characteristic of the cautious Ormsbys, and quite in keeping with the
remorseless character of the man who never forgave, and never desisted in
any pursuit where personal gain was the paramount con