into his saddle prepared to shake the dust of
Stillton that very night from his feet, a voice came to him through the
semi-obscurity:

"Hold on, there! Hold on, I say!"

He gave his nag a good kick in the flank and urged him to the top of his
speed.

"Hold on there! Dudley! Hold on!"

He was recognized--caught! That cursed photograph of his! "Go on, you
brute, go on!" he cried to his sorry beast. There was not much speed in
him, however, and a minute later footsteps were quickly overtaking him.

"I say, Dudley! Don't you know me?" panted his pursuer.

He turned for an instant in his saddle. Why! Could he believe his eyes?
Surely it was Manton! He reined in.

"Why, Manton, old boy, what--"

"Dudley, what on earth brings you here?" gasped Manton.

"That's just what I've been trying to find out, Manton. Take my oath I
don't know."

"Humph!" ejaculated Manton, fixing his eyes curiously upon his friend.

"I don't," reiterated Dudley.

"No girl in the case?" suggested Manton significantly.

"Girl!" He laughed uneasily. Could Manton be in the joke? "No," he
answered, "I can safely say that there is not," the figure of the old
nurse clearly in his mind.

"Come, now, Dudley," said Manton; "perhaps I know more about your
affairs than you think I do. She was frightfully cut up this morning,
and I think your letter did it."

"Cut up, was she? Ha! ha! Cut up! She appeared to be in one pretty
substantial piece just now, notwithstanding."

"Look here, Dudley; get off that horse and come over to the farm for
supper. There's something wrong. I want to have a talk with you. Now,
there has been some misunderstanding, hasn't there?"

"Well, I confess I was rather taken in."

"Taken in! Nonsense! Do you imagine she would take you in?"

"It struck me that she might, boots and all," replied Dudley, with a sad
grin.

"Do talk sense, Dudley. It's a pity that this should have occurred."

"A d--d shame, I call it."

"I would swear that she loves you, Dud."

"Really, I suppose I ought to feel flattered; but, somehow, Manton, I
can't get up much enthusiasm over _her_. She's not exactly my style."

"You're very fastidious, then. Here, come this way through the wood:
it's a short cut. I confess my experience has been very much more
limited than yours, but _I_ never saw a girl more--"

"A what?" asked Dudley, with a sneer.

"A young lady, then,--more charming, more lovely in every respect, than
Miss Moreley."

"Mis