aid Blake. "My object in doing so hasn't much bearing on the
matter so far as you are concerned, but it will simplify things if you
will realize that I mean to stand between my relatives and harm. I'm
not a clever player of this kind of game, but you must see I hold the
ace of trumps among my cards. Now you know I'm ready to play it, don't
you think it would be wiser to leave the Colonel alone?"

For a few moments she looked at him in silence, and though she burned
with anger and disappointment she kept her head. She was beaten; no
art that she could practise and no argument would prevail against the
man's resolution. The only thing left was to retire with as much
dignity as possible from the fight.

"Well," she answered, getting up, "I suppose there is no more to be
said, and after all you might have shown me less consideration. I must
do you the justice to admit that I believe you are acting out of
loyalty to your friends."

"Thank you," Blake said with a bow. "Now I notice Mrs. Foster coming
towards us and imagine that she doesn't mean to stay much longer."

Mrs. Chudleigh left him, and in another few minutes Mrs. Foster
declared that she must go, while as they walked towards the staircase
Mrs. Keith came up to Blake.

"Well?" she asked in an anxious tone.

Blake smiled at her. "I think we needn't fear any further trouble."

Admiration shone in Margaret Keith's eyes. "It's a great relief,
though I knew the worst danger was over when you came home. None of
the Challoners ever did so fine a thing, Dick."

She went by before he could answer and he turned back into the gallery
while the others descended to the hall. Standing near a window, he saw
Foster's car speed down the drive; then the hoot of the horn reached
him from the corner by the lodge, and there was silence again. It was
broken a few minutes later by a beat of hoofs, and Blake, looking out,
saw Challoner dismount.

"Where did you get to, Dick?" the Colonel asked when his nephew went
down to meet him. "I saw you close behind the hounds for a time, but
you disappeared and nobody seemed to know what had become of you."

"I had a good run," Blake said, smiling. "Then I dropped out and rode
home across country. I remembered that there was something I had to
do."

"It must have been something important to take you off the field when
the hounds were running as they were then."

"I thought the matter needed attention," Blake rejoined, lig