the other stared in return.

"I should like to pass," the boy persisted, since the other made no
move.

"So you shall, Mr. Oliver Peyton," returned the man, "only don't
expect me to move as fast or as gracefully as you did. You wonder how
I know your name, I suppose. Well, if that precious Cousin Jasper of
yours and mine were a little more outspoken about his affairs, you
would know all about me. If you want to know where I live, just look
over the back wall of your cousin's garden. Do it some time when he
isn't looking, for he doesn't love to think of what lies behind that
wall where the fruit trees are trained so prettily and where the trees
and shrubs grow so high."

He had made way at last and the car moved forward, but he turned to
shout a last bitter word after them.

"If you want to know one of your Cousin Jasper's meanest secrets, look
over the wall."

CHAPTER IV

THE GARDEN WALL

It was very early when Oliver rolled out of bed next day, sleepy but
determined. He had decided, at first, to pay no attention to Anthony
Crawford's suggestion, made evidently with malicious purpose; he had,
indeed, almost forgotten it by the time he and Janet reached home. But
Janet had remembered, and she had brought up the question that evening
as they went up to their own quarters rather later than usual, since
Cousin Jasper had been sitting with them in the library and had seemed
unwilling that they should leave him.

"There is something very wrong in this house," declared Janet.
"Hotchkiss doesn't know what it is, Mrs. Brown doesn't."

"I think the Beeman knows," Oliver volunteered suddenly, although he
could give no reason for his guess.

"Anyway," pursued Janet, "some one ought to know, for some one ought
to help Cousin Jasper. I am certain that he has no mean secrets, as
Anthony Crawford said. And so I think one of us should climb up and
look over the wall. It had better be you," she added wisely but
regretfully, "because, if we both try it, some one is sure to see us."

It was, therefore, Oliver who was stirring at sunrise, for his
investigations must be made before any one else was up. He let himself
out of the house very quietly and crossed the empty, silent garden. He
had forgotten how beautiful a garden could be in the early morning
with the dew shining on every grass tip and with the flowers all
radiant in the vividness of color of newly created things. There were
gay-colored beds below the terrac