ar thin in a week if I did."

He turned the bicycle upside down, and set to work vigorously with a
wrench.

"If," said Meldon, "my business were my own--that's to say, if I were
acting in my private capacity for my own interests--I should let the
whole thing slide at once." He screwed hard at a nut as he spoke.
"But what I have to do concerns the whole community here. It is also
of the greatest importance to you, Miss King."

"To me?"

"And my action has, I may add, the warmest approval of the judge.
There! Thank goodness, that wretched thing is stuck on again.
Good-bye for the present, Miss King."

"But-- Oh, do wait for a moment! You really must explain--"

Meldon mounted and rode away while she spoke. Just before he
disappeared from view, he turned his head and shouted back,--

"You'll know all about it this afternoon, Miss King."

He rode rapidly down to the village, and dismounted at the door of
Simpkins' office. It was shut. Meldon knocked loudly several times,
but received no answer. He mounted his bicycle again and rode off at
high speed to Simpkins' house. Here the door was opened to him by the
red-haired servant.

"I want to see Mr. Simpkins at once," said Meldon.

"It'll fail you to do that," said the girl, "for he isn't within."

"Tell me this, now," said Meldon. "Aren't you a cousin of Sabina
Gallagher's?"

"I am, of course."

"Very well. I'm a friend of Sabina's. I'm the chief, if not the only
friend Sabina has in Ballymoy, I daresay she's told you that herself."

"She has not then; for I didn't see her this last week only the once."

"Well, you must take my word for it that I am. Now, recollecting that
fact, I expect you to show a proper family feeling and to treat the
friends of your near relations as if they were your own. Is Mr.
Simpkins really out, or is he simply in bed and ashamed to confess it?"

"He is not in bed. Nor he wasn't in it since nine o'clock this
morning. It's away off he is ever since he had his breakfast; and if
you don't believe what I'm telling you, you can go upstairs and see for
yourself."

"I do believe you," said Meldon. "Where has he gone to?"

"How would I know? Barring that he took a packet of sandwiches with
him, I don't know where he is no more than yourself."

"Sandwiches! That looks as if he won't be back for luncheon."

"He will not then, for he told me so."

"Did he go on his bicycle?"

"It could be that he did, for it's n