told his story with a grim, convincing quietness, and the blood
crept into the girl's cheeks as she followed his discoveries step by
step. Glancing at her aunt, she saw that there was horror as well as
belief in the gentle lady's face.

"Then," she said, with cold incisiveness, "Ferris cannot stay here,
and he shall be punished."

"No," said Dane. "We have no room for a lad of his disposition at
Silverdale--but I'm very uncertain in regard to the rest. You see,
it couldn't be done without attracting attention--and I have the
honor of knowing his mother. You will remember how she lost another
son. That is why I did not tell Colonel Barrington. He is a
trifle--precipitate--occasionally."

Miss Barrington glanced at him gratefully. "You have done wisely,"
she said. "Ethel Ferris has borne enough, and she has never been the
same since the horrible night they brought Frank home, for she knew
how he came by his death, though the coroner brought it in
misadventure. I also fancy my brother would be implacable in a case
like this, though how far I am warranted in keeping the facts from
him I do not know."

Dane nodded gravely. "We leave that to you. You will, however,
remember what happened once before. We cannot go through what we did
then again."

Miss Barrington recalled the formal court-martial that had once been
held in the hall of the Grange, when every man in the settlement had
been summoned to attend, for there were offenses in regard to which
her brother was inflexible. When it was over and the disgraced man
went forth an outcast, a full account of the proceedings had been
forwarded to those at home who had hoped for much from him.

"No," she said. "For the sake of the woman who sent him here we must
stop short of that."

Then Maud Barrington looked at them both. "There is one person you
do not seem to consider at all, and that is the man who lies here in
peril through Ferris's fault," she said. "Is there nothing due to
him?"

Dane noticed the sternness in her eyes, and glanced as if for support
towards Miss Barrington. "I fancy he would be the last to claim it
if he knew what we do. Still, in the meanwhile, I leave the affair
to your aunt and you. We would like to have your views before doing
anything further."

He rose as he spoke, and when he had gone out, Maud Barrington sat
down at a writing-table. "Aunt," she said quietly, "I will ask
Ferris to come here at once."

It was next da