The girl, having secured his watch, with something between a curse and a
laugh, went off, calling him "an old drunk fool."

Next moment the squire put his hand in his pocket to take out his watch,
but it was gone. He felt in his other pockets, but they were empty, too.
The young woman had clung to him long enough to rob him of everything.
The squire rose and hurried down the walk, calling lustily after her;
but it was an officer who answered the call. When the squire told his
story he simply laughed and told him he was drunk, and threatened, if he
made any disturbance, to "run him in."

The old countryman flamed out.

"Run who in?" he demanded. "Do you know who I am, young man?"

"No, I don't, and I don't keer a ----."

"Well, I'm Squire Rawson of Ridgely, and I know more law than a hundred
consarned blue-bellied thief-hiders like you. Whoever says I am drunk is
a liar. But if I was drunk is that any reason for you to let a thief rob
me? What is your name? I've a mind to arrest you and run you in myself.
I've run many a better man in."

It happened that the officer's record was not quite clear enough to
allow him to take the chance of a contest with so bold an antagonist as
the squire of Ridgely. He did not know just who he was, or what he might
be able to do. So he was willing to "break even," and he walked off
threatning, but leaving the squire master of the field.

The next day the old man applied to Keith, who placed the matter in Dave
Dennison's hands and persuaded the squire to return home.

Keith was very unhappy over the misunderstanding between Norman and
himself. He wrote Norman a letter asking an interview as soon as he
returned. But he received no reply. Then, having heard of his return, he
went to his office one day to see him.

Yes, Mr. Wentworth was in. Some one was with him, but would Mr. Keith
walk in? said the clerk, who knew of the friendship between the two. But
Keith sent in his name.

The clerk came out with a surprised look on his face. Mr. Wentworth was
"engaged."

Keith went home and wrote a letter, but his letter was returned
unopened, and on it was the indorsement, "Mr. Norman Wentworth declines
to hold any communication with Mr. Gordon Keith."

After this, Keith, growing angry, swore that he would take no further
steps.

CHAPTER XXVII

PHRONY TRIPPER AND THE REV. MR. RIMMON

As Keith stepped from his office one afternoon, he thought he heard his
name called--called s