u see--" Lorimer hesitated
and turned to Errington. "You tell him, Phil! you know all about it."

"The fact is," said Errington, while Gueldmar gazed from one to the other
in speechless amazement, "Thelma hasn't told you because she knew how
angry you'd be--but Dyceworthy asked her to marry him. Of course she
refused him, and I doubt if he's taken his rejection very resignedly."

The face of the old farmer as he heard these words was a study. Wonder,
contempt, pride, and indignation struggled for the mastery on his rugged
features.

"Asked--her--to--marry--him!" he repeated slowly. "By the sword of Odin!
Had I known it I would have throttled him!" His eyes blazed and he
clenched his hand. "Throttled him, lads! I would! Give me the chance and
I'll do it now! I tell you, the mere look of such a man as that is a
desecration to my child,--liar and hypocrite as he is! may the gods
confound him!" He paused--then suddenly bracing himself up, added. "I'll
away to Bosekop at once--they've been afraid of me there for no
reason--I'll teach them to be afraid of me in earnest! Who'll come with
me?"

All eagerly expressed their desire to accompany him with the exception
of one,--Pierre Duprez,--he had disappeared.

"Why, where has he gone?" demanded Lorimer in some surprise.

"I canna tell," replied Macfarlane. "He just slipped awa' while ye were
haverin' about Dyceworthy--he'll maybe join us at the shore."

To the shore they at once betook themselves, and were soon busied in
unmooring Gueldmar's own rowing-boat, which, as it had not been used for
some time, was rather a tedious business,--moreover they noted with
concern that the tide was dead against them.

Duprez did not appear,--the truth is, that he had taken into his head to
start off for Talvig on foot without waiting for the others. He was fond
of an adventure and here was one that suited him precisely--to rescue
distressed damsels from the grasp of persecutors. He was tired, but he
managed to find the road,--and he trudged on determinedly, humming a
song of Beranger's as he walked to keep him cheerful. But he had not
gone much more than a mile when he discerned in the distance a carriole
approaching him,--and approaching so swiftly that it appeared to swing
from side to side of the road at imminent risk of upsetting altogether.
There seemed to be one person in it--an excited person too, who lashed
the stout little pony and urged it on to fresh exertions with
gesticu