et him before he rang the
bell. Just behind him came a tall man in a gray suit. This individual
turned in at the gate, bestowing a nod upon Barrow and a keen glance at
her as he passed.

"That's Grinell, from the _Times_," Barrow muttered sourly. "Come on;
let's get away from here. I suppose he's after you for an interview.
Everybody in Granville's talking about that legacy, it seems to me."

Hazel turned in beside him silently. Right at the start she found
herself resenting Barrow's tone, his manner. She had done nothing to
warrant suspicion from him. But she loved him, and she hoped she could
convince him that it was no more than a passing unpleasantness, for
which she was nowise to blame.

"Hang it!" Barrow growled, before they had traversed the first block.
"Here comes Grinell! I suppose that old cat of a landlady pointed us
out. No dodging him now."

"There's no earthly reason why I should dodge him, as you put it,"
Hazel replied stiffly. "I'm not an escaped criminal."

Barrow shrugged his shoulders in a way that made Hazel bring her teeth
together and want to shake him.

Grinell by then was hurrying up with long strides. Hat in hand, he
bowed to her. "Miss Hazel Weir, I believe?" he interrogated.

"Yes," she confirmed.

"I'm on the _Times_, Miss Weir," Grinell went straight to the business
in hand. "You are aware, I presume, that Mr. Andrew Bush willed you a
sum of money under rather peculiar conditions--that is, the bequest was
worded in a peculiar way. Probably you have seen a reference to it in
the papers. It has caused a great deal of interest. The _Times_ would
be pleased to have a statement from you which will tend to set at rest
the curiosity of the public. Some of the other papers have indulged in
unpleasant innuendo. We would be pleased to publish your side of the
matter. It would be an excellent way for you to quiet the nasty rumors
that are going the rounds."

"I have no statement to make," Hazel said coolly. "I am not in the
least concerned with what the papers print or what the people say. I
absolutely refuse to discuss the matter."

Grinell continued to point out--with the persistence and persuasive
logic of a good newspaper man bent on learning what his paper wants to
know--the desirability of her giving forth a statement. And in the
midst of his argument Hazel bade him a curt "good evening" and walked
on. Barrow kept step with her. Grinell gave it up for a bad jo