"Oh, things are so mixed up--one can't be too careful. Minnie, we must
settle our affairs."

"Settle them? You mean--?"

"I mean we can't go on this way. I must have you! I've waited long
enough. You know I love you--that I've never loved any one else as I've
loved you! I can't stand it any longer without you. I have asked you to
marry me several times. Each time you have put it off for some reason
or other. Now we must settle it. Are you going to marry me or not? No
matter what your folks say about me and this Carwell affair. Do you--do
you care for me?"

The answer was so low and so muffled that the colonel was glad he could
not hear it.

"Confound it all!" he murmured, "that's the worst of this business! I
don't mind anything but the love-making. I hate to break in on that!"

There was an eloquent silence, and then LeGrand Blossom said:

"I am very happy, Minnie."

"And so am I. Now what shall we do?"

"Get married as soon as possible, of course. I've got to wind up matters
here, and as soon as I can I may take up an offer that came from Boston.
It's a very good one. Would you go there with me?"

"Yes, LeGrand. I'd go anywhere with you--you know that."

"I'm glad I do, my dear. It may be necessary to go very soon, and--well,
we won't stop to say good-bye, either."

"Why! what do you mean," and the hidden detective knew that the girl had
drawn away from the young man.

"Oh, I mean that we won't bother about the fuss of a farewell-party.
I'm not tied to the Carwell business. In fact I'd be glad to chuck
it. There's nothing in it any more, since there's no chance for a
partnership. We'll just go off by ourselves and be happy--won't we,
Minnie?"

"I hope so, LeGrand. But must we go away? Can't you get something else
here?"

"I think we must, yes."

"You haven't had trouble with--with Viola, have you?"

"No. What made you think of that?"

"Oh, it was just a notion. Well, if we have to leave we will. I shall
hate to go, however. But, I'll be with you--" and again the words were
smothered.

"I wonder what sort of a double-cross game he's playing," mused the
colonel when the two had left the park and he, rather stiff from his
position, shuffled to the lonely spot where he had before made a change
of garments. Attired as his usual self, he went back to The Haven, and
spent rather a restless night.

Minnie Webb was perplexed. She loved LeGrand Blossom--there was no doubt
of that--but she did not see