ecked neck, and their glances met like crossed swords. The look
stirred something vague and deep within him. For an unforgettable
instant their eyes held each other, in a gaze rigid, challenging,
almost defiant; then it broke and she turned to the rest of the party
spurring in a galloping zigzag: a genial-faced man of middle age in
khaki who sat his horse like a cavalryman, a younger one with a reckless
dark face and straight black hair, and following these a half-dozen
youthful riders of both sexes, one of the lads heavily plastered with
mud from a wet cropper, and the girls chiefly gasps and giggles.

The elder of the two men pulled up beside the leader, his astonished
eyes sweeping the house-front, with its open blinds, the wisp of smoke
curling from the kitchen chimney. He said something to her, and she
nodded. The younger man, meanwhile, had flung himself from his horse, a
wild-eyed roan, and with his arm thrust through its bridle, strode
forward among the welter of hounds, where they scurried at fault, hither
and thither, yelping and eager.

"What rotten luck!" he exclaimed. "Gone to ground after twelve miles!
After him, Tawny! You mongrels! Do you imagine he's up a tree? After
him, Bulger! Bring him here!"

[Illustration]

He glanced up, and for the first time saw the figure in tweeds looking
on. Valiant was attracted by his face, its dash and generosity overlying
its inherent profligacy and weakness. Dark as the girl was light, his
features had the same delicate chiseling, the inbreeding, nobility
and indulgence of generations. He stared a moment, and the somewhat
supercilious look traveled over the gazer, from dusty boots to waving
brown hair.

"Oh!" he said. His view slowly took in the evidences of occupation. "The
house is open, I see. Going to get it fit for occupancy, I presume?"

"Yes."

The other turned. "Well, Judge Chalmers, what do you think of that? The
unexpected has happened at last." He looked again at the porch. "Who's
to occupy it?"

"The owner."

"Wonders will never cease!" said the young man easily, shrugging. "Well,
our quarry is here somewhere. From the way the dogs act I should say
he's bolted into the house. With your permission I'll take one of them
in and see." He stooped and snapped a leash on a dog-collar.

"I'm really very sorry," said Valiant, "but I'm living in it at
present."

The edge of a smile lifted the carefully trained mustache over the
other's white teeth. It h