e one
more night's fun first.

Such were the facts. John Massingbird told them to Jan, suppressing any
little bit that he chose, here and there. The doubt about the codicil,
for instance, and its moving motive in the affair, he did not mention.

"It has been the best fun I ever had in my life," he remarked. "I never
shall forget the parson's amazed stare, the first time I passed him. Or
old Tynn's, either, last night. Jan, you should have heard Dan Duff
howl!"

"I have," said Jan. "I have had the pleasure of attending him. My only
wonder is that he did not put himself into the pool, in his fright: as
Rachel Frost did, time back."

John Massingbird caught the words up hastily, "How, do you know that
Rachel put herself in? She may have been put in."

"For all I know, she may. Taking circumstances into consideration,
however, I should say it was the other way."

"I say, Jan," interrupted John Massingbird, with another explosion,
"didn't your Achates, Cheese, arrive at home in a mortal fright one
night?"

Jan nodded.

"I shall never forget him, never. He was marching up, all bravely, till
he saw my face. Didn't he turn tail! There has been one person above all
others, Jan, that I have wanted to meet, and have not--your brother
Lionel."

"He'd have pinned you," said Jan.

"Not he. You would not have done it to-night, but that I _let_ you do
it. No chance of anybody catching me, unless I chose. _I_ was on the
look-out for all I met, for all to whom I chose to show myself: _they_
met me unawares. Unprepared for the encounter, while they were
recovering their astonishment, I was beyond reach. Last night I had been
watching over the gate ever so long, when I darted out in front of Tynn,
to astonish him. Jan"--lowering his voice--"has it put Sibylla in a
fright?"

"I think it has put Lionel in a worse," responded Jan.

"For fear of losing her?" laughed John Massingbird. "Wouldn't it have
been a charming prospect for some husbands, who are tired of their
wives! Is Lionel tired of his?"

"Can't say," replied Jan. "There's no appearance of it."

"I should be, if Sibylla had been my wife for two years," candidly
avowed John Massingbird. "Sibylla and I never hit it off well as
cousins. I'd not own her as wife, if she were dowered with all the gold
mines in Australia. What Fred saw in her was always a puzzle to me. _I_
knew what was going on between them, though nobody else did. But, Jan,
I'll tell you what astonish