over her shoulder, as she joined Harry
Tristram. They walked to the gate which marked the end of the terrace on
which Merrion stood.

"I'm so glad you came! You do believe in me now?" she asked.

"Yes, and I'm not afraid. But do you know--it seems incredible to
me--I'm not thinking of that now. I shall again directly, when it's
over. But now--well, Blent won't seem much without my mother."

"She couldn't rest if you weren't there," cried Mina, throwing back the
impression she had received, as her disposition made her.

"I haven't changed about that, but it will wait. Three days they say
now--three days, or maybe four, and then--she goes."

Together they stood, looking down. Mina's heart was very full. She was
with the Tristrams indeed now, thick and thin; their cause seemed hers,
their house must stand.

Harry turned to her suddenly.

"Say nothing of this to the Major. Let him alone; that's best. We'll see
about all that afterward. Good-by."

"And--and the Ivers?" She could not restrain the question.

A slight frown came on his brow; he seemed to have no relish for the
subject.

"Oh, that'll wait too," he said impatiently. He caught her by the arm as
he had done once before. "If all they said was true, if what you think
was true (he smiled at her as he spoke), I'd change with no man in
England; remember that. If it comes to a fight and I'm beaten, remember
that." And he ran down the hill.

Mina returned slowly to the library and found Neeld walking restlessly
to and fro. For the moment they did not speak. Mina sat down and
followed the old gentleman's figure in its restless pacing.

"You heard him about his mother?" she asked at last.

He nodded, but did not reply.

"You make all the difference," she blurted out after another pause.

Again he nodded, not ceasing his walk. For a minute or two longer Mina
endured the suspense, though it seemed more than she could bear. Then
she sprang up, ran to him, intercepted him, and caught hold of both his
hands, arresting his progress with an eager, imperious grip.

"Well?" she cried. "Well? What are you going to do?"

For a moment still he waited. Then he spoke deliberately.

"I can't consider it my duty to do anything, Madame Zabriska."

"Ah!" cried the Imp in shrill triumph, and she flung her arms round his
neck and kissed him. She did not mind his putting it on the score of
duty.

IX

THE MAN IN POSSESSION

In these days Janie Iver would have