y of
picturesque disguise. There was nothing brigandish or romantic about the
appearance of the very ordinary-looking young man who put in an
appearance at Starden village.

Quite what his plans were, what he proposed doing and how he should do
it, Hugh had not the slightest idea. He mistrusted Slotman. He
experienced exactly the same feelings as would a man who, hearing that
there was a savage wild beast let loose where an immense amount of harm
may be done, puts a gun under his arm and sallies forth.

Even if Joan had not the immense claim on him that she had, he believed
he would do exactly what he was doing now. He might be wrong about
Slotman, of course. The man might have cleared out and left the country,
but Hugh fancied that he had not. Here was a little gold-mine, a young
girl, rich and unprotected, a girl of whom this villain believed certain
things, which if true would give him a great power over her. That they
were not true, Slotman did not know, and he would use his fancied
knowledge to obtain his ends and to make Joan's life unbearable.

So Hugh Alston was here in rough, shaggy tweeds, sitting on the
self-same seat beside the old stocks where most mornings Ellice Brand
came.

"I'm here," he said to himself, and pulled hard on his pipe. "I am here,
and here I am going to stay. Sooner or later, unless I am dead out in my
reckonings, that brute will turn up, and when he does he'll find me here
ahead of and waiting for him."

"The Meredyths," said Mrs. Bonner, "hev lived at Starden"--she called it
'Sta-a-arden'--"oh, I wouldn't like to say for how long, centuries
anyhow. Then for a time things got despirit with them, and the place was
sold. Bought it was by Mr. Gorridge, a London gentleman. Thirty years he
lived here. I remember him buying it; I would be about eighteen then,
just before I married Bonner. Master Roger I think it was, anyhow one of
'em--the Meredyths I mean--went to Australia and kep' sheep or something
there, and made money, and he bought the old place back, Mr. Gorridge
being dead and gone. You'll see 'is tomb in the church, Mr. Alston."

"Thank you," Hugh said. "I'll be sure to look for it."

"A wonderful expensive tomb, and much admired," said Mrs. Bonner.

"I am sure it must be in the best taste. And then?"

"Oh, then Mr. Roger died at sea and left it all, Starden Hall and his
money, to Miss Joan Meredyth. And she lives there now, and I suppose
she'll go on living there when she i