ss man, with the full courage of his somewhat
curious convictions, but there were few who could withstand Colonel
Carrington, and, half-dazed, half-savage, he did his bidding, while again
every eye in the room was turned upon me.

"Minnie Lee was certainly employed in my uncle's mill in Lancashire," I
said slowly, "but on my word of honor nothing ever passed between us that
all the world might not hear. She married a former clerk there, one Thomas
Fletcher, secretly, and at present lives with him at the Willow Lake
creamery. I met her for the first time in Canada at the Elktail hotel,
where she was a waitress, and at her request helped to find her husband
the situation. She promised to write home, but evidently did not do so."

"It is perfectly true," said Harry. "I was present at that meeting. If our
visitor has any doubts on the subject he has only to ride over there and
see."

Lee gasped for breath, recovered himself, and strode toward me with
fingers trembling and his eyes blood-shot.

"Is it true?" he said. "I know thy vain pride in an honor that can stoop
to steal the honor of the poor; it is only women to whom thy kind tell
lies. Here, before these witnesses, tell me again, is it Gospel true?"

He seemed half-crazed by excitement and over-fatigue, while his relief was
evidently tempered by a fear that we might yet be bent on duping him; but
I pitied him in all sincerity, for whatever were his foibles it was
evident that this broken-down wreck of humanity with the warped intellect
loved his daughter, and as I wondered what would most quickly set his mind
at rest Harry said stiffly:

"We do not lie to any one, and we are poor men, too. At least we work for
a bare living harder than many English poor. On his friend's word
as--well, in deference to your prejudices, we'll say an honest man--Mr.
Lorimer has told you nothing but the truth. You will find Mrs. Fletcher
safe and well at the Willow Lake creamery."

"Then I'm going there now," was the answer. "I thank thee for the story.
No, I don't want the pistol. It was the devil tempted me to bring it, but
it was only to force the truth from him, and it went off of itself."

"You are somewhat premature," said Colonel Carrington. "We haven't quite
done with you. As I said, I hold myself responsible for the peace of
Carrington, and though I am inclined to believe it was an accident, you
can't ride twenty miles hungry at midnight. You came here without my
invitation