llow me to congratulate you on the success of your plan. Your
management of the details was admirable."

Meldon was susceptible to this kind of flattery, and he felt that he
deserved a little praise. It had been no easy matter to track Simpkins
to Donard, and very difficult to bring him back to Ballymoy. He forgot
the Major for a moment and went willingly with the judge.

"I had rather a job of it," he said. "I had to go the whole way to
Donard to get him."

The judge seemed surprised.

"Really!" he said. "I should hardly have thought there's been time for
you to go and come back."

"I ride pretty fast," said Meldon, with an air of satisfaction.

"And the Major never said a word about it."

"The Major didn't know. I don't tell the Major all the details of my
plans. You scarcely know him yet, Sir Gilbert. When you do you'll
understand that he isn't the kind of man to whom any one would confide
the working out of a delicate negotiation. He's a thorough gentleman,
quite the best type of military officer; a man who might be trusted to
run absolutely straight under any circumstances. But he has the
defects of his qualities. He's rather thick-headed, and he takes an
extraordinary delight in arguing."

"I'm glad to hear you speak so well of him," said the judge, "now that
he's--"

"I think I'll go back and get him now," said Meldon. "He has a very
strong dislike for Simpkins, and I wouldn't like him to break out in
any way before Miss King. It might be awkward for her."

"He won't," said the judge. "In his present temper he won't break out
against any one. He's almost idiotically happy. You might have seen
it in his face."

"He had a sheepish look," said Meldon. "It's a curious thing, isn't
it, Sir Gilbert, that when a man is really satisfied with himself he
gets to look like a sheep. I daresay you've noticed it, or perhaps you
haven't. In your particular line of life you come more into contact
with people who are extremely dissatisfied. Still, occasionally you
must have had a chance of seeing some one who had just had an unusual
stroke of good luck. Mrs. Lorimer, for instance"--Meldon winked at the
judge--"when the jury brought in its verdict of 'Not Guilty.' But I
really must run back for the Major."

The judge seemed disinclined to discuss Mrs. Lorimer, but he held fast
to Meldon's arm.

"After what you said to me this morning," he said, "the events of the
afternoon were not altogether