ng of the Black
Colonel's meaning. He was taunting me with suspicions which he would
not bring himself to believe, having a generous side to his nature, a
state of mind that has inflicted much suffering on the human race, ever
since the world began to go round. Mostly it occurs between men, for
women are more elemental, more red in beak and claw, even when the claw
is bejewelled, which indeed may give it another sharpness.

Could I blame him? Not to his face, at all events, because that would
be to notice his challenge, to admit that it was not unnatural on his
part. Events must be my guarantee, and if there were to be no more,
well, let him say quickly why he had asked me very specially to meet
him on an urgent private affair. Yes, although it were to have a
casual ending, such as characterizes half the affairs of life.

Aye! good thinking, my friends, but our relations were cast in a
sterner mould, and they were not to take the road of well-being. This
became manifest when the now growing dawn lightly touched the eastern
door of the Pass at its highest crag. The Black Colonel put his hand
to his eyes, using them as you would a spy-glass, made a hawk-like
sweep of the point I have indicated, and murmured harshly, "A red-coat,
ah!"

Quickly he followed the wispy, growing light towards the western end of
the Pass, and after another moment of hawkish searching growled: "A
red-coat there also! It has been shrewdly arranged, this affair,
Captain Gordon. My congratulations, for you have earned them well, as
well, perhaps, as something else from me."

I said nothing, and indeed I was too full of surprise to think, except
in a wondering fashion. It was only by an effort of attention that I
heard the Black Colonel's further words, cursed out in a wrath not bred
of any anxiety for himself, but, naturally enough, directed at me.

"So the moving picture declares itself, my dear, thoughtful kinsman,"
he hissed. "The red-coats from Braemar are at the western end of the
Pass, those from Corgarff are at the eastern end, and the Black Colonel
is within somewhere--isn't he?--keeping a private meeting with an
officer in his Georgian Majesty's uniform, an officer and a gentleman!
Shrewdly planned, as I say, shrewdly planned, and I suppose you want to
intrigue me here until I cannot get away any more. Would you think of
trying to hold me yourself, eh? It would be like your adventurous
spirit? No!"

This was said with a