I was about to say when this gentleman's entrance interrupted my
words that I had been convinced overnight that our first suspicions
were false, and that Mr. Adams was, as your daughter persists in
declaring, simply a somewhat zealous friend."

"But," hastily vociferated the old man, "there has been no one else
about my daughter for months. If Mr. Adams is not to blame for this
attempted escapade, who is? I should like to see the man, and see him
standing just there."

"Then look and tell me what you think of him," came with an insolent
fierceness from the doorway, and Orrin, booted and spurred, with mud
on his holiday hose, and his hat still on his head, strode into our
midst and confronted us all with an air of such haughty defiance that
it half robbed him of his ruffianly appearance.

Juliet shrieked and stepped back, fascinated and terrified. The
Colonel frowned darkly, and the old man, who had seemed by his words
to summon him before us, quailed at the effect of his words and stood
looking from the well-known but unexpected figure thus introduced
amongst us, to the Colonel who persistently avoided his gaze, till the
situation became unbearable, and I turned about as if to go.

Instantly the Colonel took advantage of the break and spoke to Orrin:
"And so it is to you, sir, that I have to address the few words I have
to say?"

"Yes, to him and to me!" cried little Juliet, and gliding from between
the two natural protectors of her girlhood she crossed the floor and
stood by Orrin's side.

This action, so unexpected and yet so natural, took away whatever
restraint we had hitherto placed upon ourselves, and the Colonel
looked for a moment as if his self-control would abandon him entirely
and leave him a prey to man's fiercest and most terrible passions. But
he has a strong soul, and before I could take a step to interpose
myself between him and Juliet, his face had recovered its steady
aspect and his hands ceased from their ominous trembling. Her father,
on the contrary, seemed to grow more ireful with every instant that he
saw her thus defiant of his authority, while Orrin, pleased with her
courage and touched, I have no doubt, by the loving confidence of her
pleading eyes, threw his arm about her with a gesture of pride which
made one forget still more his disordered and dishevelled condition.

I said nothing, but I did not leave the room.

"Juliet!"--the words came huskily from the angry father's lips, "come