about with him together. I wonder what deduction one could make from
this."

Hetty glanced at Miss Schuyler. "You could never make the right one,
Chris," she said.

Allonby said nothing further and went out with the letter; a day or two
later he handed it to the Sheriff.

"I guess you know what's inside it?" said the latter.

"Yes," said the lad. "I want to see you count them now."

The Sheriff glanced at him sharply, took out a roll of bills and flicked
them over.

"Yes," he said, "that's quite right; but one piece of what I have to do is
going to be difficult."

"Which?" said Allonby.

"Well," said the Sheriff, "I guess you know. I mean the getting hold of
Larry."

XVII

LARRY'S PERIL

One afternoon several days later, Christopher Allonby drove over to Cedar
Range, and, though he endeavoured to hide his feelings, was evidently
disconcerted when he discovered that Miss Schuyler and Hetty were alone.
Torrance had affairs of moment on hand just then, and was absent from
Cedar Range frequently.

"One could almost have fancied you were not pleased to see us, and would
sooner have talked to Mr. Torrance," said Miss Schuyler.

The lad glanced at her reproachfully.

"Hetty knows how diffident I am, but it seems to me a lady with your
observation should have seen the gratification I did not venture to
express."

"It was not remarkably evident," said Miss Schuyler. "In fact, when you
heard Mr. Torrance was not here I fancied I saw something else."

"I was thinking," said Allonby, "wondering how I could be honest and, at
the same time, complimentary to everybody. It was quite difficult. People
like me generally think of the right thing afterwards, you see."

Hetty shook her head. "Sit down, and don't talk nonsense, Chris," she
said. "You shouldn't think too much; when you're not accustomed to it, it
isn't wise. What brought you?"

"I had a message for your father," said the lad, and Flora Schuyler
fancied she saw once more the signs of embarrassment in his face.

"Then," said Hetty, "you can tell it me."

"There's a good deal of it, and it's just a little confusing," said
Allonby.

Flora Schuyler glanced at Hetty, and then smiled at the lad. "That is
certainly not complimentary," she said. "Don't you think Hetty and I could
remember anything that you can?"

Allonby laughed. "Of course you could. But, I had my instructions. I was
told to give Mr. Torrance the message as soon as I could, with