as much reason for being afraid that I might fail you."

"Call it a deal," said Harding. "You're the man we want."

"Well," said Blake, "I ought to be out again before you start, and if I
can raise any money in England, I'll send it over. You're satisfied
that this is a project I can recommend to my friends?"

"I believe it's such a chance as few people ever get," Harding answered
in a tone of firm conviction.

"Then we'll see what can be done. It won't be your fault if the
venture fails."

Harding smiled. "There's hard work and perhaps some trouble ahead, but
you won't regret you faced it. You'll be a rich man in another year or
two."

Then Emile urged the dogs, and they set off after the others as fast as
they could go. Sweetwater was safely reached, but on the morning after
his arrival there Blake pushed on south for the railroad with the
police and a week later caught a steamer in Montreal. On landing, he
took the first train to Shropshire, but before going on to Sandymere
called at Hazlehurst, where he had learned that Mrs. Keith was staying.

As it happened, Mrs. Keith was out with Mrs. Foster, and Millicent was
the first to welcome him. She started when he was shown into the hall,
and, dropping the book she was reading, rose with a tingle of
heightened colour, while he felt his heart beat fast. It was a clear
winter afternoon and the sunshine that entered a window fell upon the
girl. Blake thought she looked very beautiful, and, thrown off her
guard as she had been, he caught the gladness in her eyes before she
could hide it.

"I expect you are surprised at my turning up," he remarked.

"Yes," she said with a shyness she could not overcome. "Indeed I was
startled when you came in, but of course it's pleasant to see you
safely back. I knew Colonel Challoner had given orders for you to be
traced if possible, and that you had been found, but that was all Mrs.
Keith told me. I suppose she didn't know--didn't think, I mean--that I
was interested."

"I'd like to believe that was foolish of her," Blake answered with a
twinkle.

Millicent laughed; though she felt that his rejoinder did not
adequately express his feelings, his humorous manner set her at ease.

"It really was foolish," she said, smiling. "But you must have some
tea and wait until she comes. I don't think she will be long."

The tea was brought, and she studied him unobtrusively as he sat
opposite her at the small table. He h