n o'clock in the morning and there was no use in hurrying, and
thought and thought, as he drove. If he failed in stopping this
astonishing and iniquitous proceeding it would not be for want of
thinking.

Mountfield was an early house. Jim himself unbarred and unlocked the
front door to the groom's ring. The chains and bolts to be undone seemed
endless. "Take out my bag," said Dick, as he waited, sitting in the
cart. "I'm going to stay here for the night. There'll be a note to take
back to Mrs. Clinton. See that it goes up to her to-night."

He spoke so evenly that the groom wondered if, after all, there was
anything going on under the surface at all.

"Hullo, old chap," Dick called out, directly Jim's astonished face
appeared in the doorway. "Cicely has bolted off to see Muriel, and the
governor has sent me to fetch her back. I was going up by the eleven
o'clock train, but I thought I'd come here for to-night, and take you up
with me in the morning. There's nothing to hurry for."

Then he got down from the cart and gave the reins to the groom. "I just
want to send a note to the mater so that she won't worry," he said, as
he went into the house.

He went across the hall into Jim's room, and Jim, who had not spoken,
followed him. "Read that," he said, putting the letter into his hand.

Jim read it and looked up at him. There was no expression on his face
but one of bewilderment.

"You think it over," said Dick, a little impatiently, and went to the
writing-table and scribbled a note.

"Dear Mother,--I thought I would come on here first on the chance
of hearing something, and glad I did so. There is a letter from
Cicely. It is all right. Jim and I are going up to-morrow morning.
Don't worry.

"Dick."

Then, without taking any notice of Jim, still standing gazing at the
letter in his hand with the same puzzled expression on his face, he went
out and despatched the groom, closing the hall door after him.

He went back into the room and shut that door too. "Well!" he said
sharply. "What the devil does it mean?"

Jim's expression had changed. It was now angry as well as puzzled. "It
was when he went after her on Sunday," he said. "_Damn_ him! I
thought----"

"Never mind what you thought," said Dick. "When did he see her alone?"

"I was going to tell you. When we came over yesterday afternoon he saw
her over the wall, and directly we got to the house he bolted off after
her. He said he