en I told her how the land lay."

"He told Mackenzie--that's the odd thing," said Dick.

"Did he?"

"Yes. It makes the beast's action all the worse."

"Well, I don't understand that. Perhaps he had a suspicion and gave him
a warning."

"I don't think so. He let him go off after her on Sunday afternoon, and
didn't think anything of it. However, he's had a shaking up. He won't
let her go now."

"Does he want to marry her still?"

"O Lord, yes, more than ever. That's something to be thankful for. It
will keep the governor quiet if we can hurry it on a bit."

"But he's not to know."

"He knows she ran away here, without bringing any clothes. That's got to
be explained. It's enough for the governor, isn't it?"

"I should think so. Enough to go on with. Didn't Jim want to throttle
that fellow?"

"He did before we got there, but he knew he couldn't do anything. It
would only have come back on Cicely. He behaved jolly well, Jim did. He
didn't take the smallest notice of Mackenzie from first to last, but he
talked to Cicely like a father. _She_ says--_I_ don't say it, mind
you--that it was Jim who got her away from him; she wouldn't have come
for me." Dick laughed. "I dare say we both had something to do with it,"
he said. "I got in a few home truths. I think Mr. Ronald Mackenzie will
be rather sorry he came poaching on our land when he turns it over in
his mind."

"Well," said Walter, rising, as the luncheon bell rang, "it's a funny
business altogether. You must tell me more later. Like a wash, Dick? Is
Cicely going to stay here for a bit?"

"Oh, yes," replied Dick, as they went out of the room. "Muriel says
she'll keep her. We've wired for clothes." He lowered his voice as they
went upstairs. "You must go easy with her a bit, you and Muriel," he
said. "She's been touched on the raw. You'll find her in rather an
excited state."

"Oh, I shan't worry her," said Walter. "But I think she's behaved badly
to Jim all the same."

But Walter's manner towards his erring sister, when they met in the
dining-room, showed no sign of his feelings, if they were resentful on
behalf of his friend. She was there with Muriel when he and Dick came
down. She was pale, and it was plain that she had been crying, but the
parlour-maid was standing by the sideboard, and the two girls were
talking by the window as if they had not just come from a long talk
which had disturbed them both profoundly.

"Well, Cicely," said Walter. "Come