"It is unnecessary. Granberry is at the Westfall farm."

"Ah!"

"But, Excellency," reminded Themar glibly, "there is still the girl--"
Deep, compelling, Tregar's eyes burned steadily into menace.

"Must I repeat--"

"Excellency," stammered Themar blanching.

"You may go!" said the Baron curtly.

There had been no word of the scribbled cuff, Themar remembered. And
surely one may steal away one's own.

CHAPTER VIII

AFTER SUNSET

The sun had set. Back from his flight over the hills with Sherrill,
Philip had bathed and shaved, whistling thoughtfully to himself. Now
as he descended the steep Sherrill lane to the valley, ravine and
hollow were already dark with twilight. From the rustling trees
arching the lane overhead came the occasional sleepy chirp and flutter
of a bird. Off somewhere in the gathering dusk a lonely owl hooted
eerily. Still there was storm in the warm, sweet air to-night and back
yonder over the hills to the north, the sky brightened fitfully with
lightning.

Slipping his hand carelessly into his coat pocket for a pipe, Philip
laughed.

"My Lord!" said he lightly. "The hieroglyphical cuff! I should have
given that to the Baron. . . . Themar," added Philip, packing his
pipe, "is an infernal bounder!"

Diane's camp lay barely two miles to the west. Homing at sunset Philip
had veered and circled over it. Now as he turned westward toward the
river, the nature of his errand chafed him sorely.

"Nor can I see," mused Philip, puffing uncomfortably at his pipe, "why
in the devil he wants to know!"

A soft, warm nose suddenly insinuated itself into his hand with a frank
bid for attention and Philip turned. A shaggy, soft-footed shadow was
waggling along at his heels, Dick's favorite setter.

"Hello, old top!" exclaimed Philip cheerfully. "When did you hit the
trail?"

Old Top barked joyously but didn't appear to remember.

"Well," said Philip, lazily patting the dog's head, "you're welcome
anyway. I'm a diplomat to-night," he added humorously, "bound upon a
'mission of exceeding delicacy' and only a companion of your
extraordinary reticence and discretion would be welcome."

Man and dog turned aside into a crossroad. It was very dark now, the
only spot of cheer save for the lightning behind the hills, the coal of
Philip's pipe.

"Tell me, old man," begged Philip whimsically, "what would you do? May
we not wander casually into camp and look at my beautiful gypsy lad