righteousness. The man needed
no incentive to sway his dispositions. He had let go his hold upon the
saving rock, now he floated willingly upon the tide of his evil
disposition. He preferred the broad road to Hell to the narrow path of
Righteousness. It may not always have been so.

The storm abated with the suddenness of its kind. During Hervey's long
wait Chintz did not leave him entirely alone. Several times, on some
trivial pretext the little man visited the sitting-room. And his
object was plainly to keep an eye upon his master's unbidden guest. At
last there came a clatter of galloping hoofs splashing through the
underlay of the forest, and presently Iredale pulled up at the door.

Hervey watched the rancher dismount. And his survey was in the nature
of taking the man's moral measure. He looked at the familiar features
which he had come to know so well; the easy, confident movements which
usually characterized Iredale; the steady glance, the quiet
undisturbed expression of his strong face. The watching man saw
nothing unusual in his appearance, nothing to give him any clue; but
Hervey was not a keen observer. Only the most apparent change would
have been seen by him; the subtler indications of a disturbed mind
were beyond his ken. Iredale seemed to be merely the Iredale he knew,
and as he watched his lips parted with a sucking sound such as the
gourmand might make in contemplating a succulent dish.

Iredale came in. Hervey met him at the door of the sitting-room, and
his greeting was cordial, even effusive.

"How are you, George? I knew you were to be back to-day. Jolly glad
you've returned. Quite missed you, you know. By Jove! what a storm.
Wet?"

"A bit; nothing to speak of. They told me at the farm you were over
here."

Iredale looked quickly round the room. His survey was not lost upon
his visitor. Then he went on--

"Chintz looked after you? Had any refreshment? Whisky?"

"Chintz looked after me! He looked in every now and then to see what I
was doing." Hervey laughed unpleasantly. "Yes, I can do with a gentle
'four-fingers'; thanks."

Iredale produced a decanter and glasses and a carafe of water. Then he
excused himself while he went to change his clothes. While he was gone
Hervey helped himself to a liberal measure of the spirit. He felt that
it would be beneficial just then. His host's unconcerned manner was a
little disconcerting. The rancher seemed much harder to tackle when he
was present.