ad the perfectly courteous air of saying, "Of
course, if you say so. But--"

Valiant turned, with a gesture that included all. "If you care to
dismount and rest," he said, "I shall be honored, though I'm afraid I
can't offer you such hospitality as I should wish."

The judge raised his broad soft hat. "Thank you, sir," he said, with a
soft accent that delightfully disdained the letter "r." "But we mustn't
intrude any further. As you know, of course, the place has been
uninhabited for any number of years, and we had no idea it was to
acquire a tenant. You will overlook our riding through, I hope. I'm
afraid the neighborhood has got used to considering this a sort of
no-man's land. It's a pleasure to know that the Court is to be
reclaimed, sir. Come along, Chilly," he added. "Our fox has a burrow
under the house, I reckon--hang the cunning little devil!"

He whistled sharply to the dogs, who came leaping about his horse's legs
for their meed of praise--and clubbing. "Down, Fan! Down Trojan! Come
on, you young folks, to breakfast. We've had a prime run of it, anyhow,
and we'll put him up another day."

He waved his hat at the porch and turned his horse down the path, side
by side with the golden-chestnut. After them trooped the others, horses
walking wearily, riders talking in low voices, the girls turning often
to send swift bird-like glances behind them to where the straight
masculine figure still stood with the yellow sunshine on his face. They
did not leap the wall this time, but filed decorously through the
swinging gate to the Red Road. Then, as they passed from view behind the
hedges, John Valiant heard the younger voices break out together like
the sound of a bomb thrown into a poultry-yard.

After a time he saw the straggling bunch of riders emerge at a slow
canter on the far-away field. He saw the roan spurred beside the golden
chestnut and both dashed away, neck and neck in a race, the light
patrician form of the man leaning far forward and the girl swaying to
the pace as if she and her hunter were one.

* * * * *

John Valiant stood watching till the last rider was out of sight. There
was a warm flush of color in his face.

At length he turned with the ghost of a sigh, opened the hall door wide
and stalking a hundred yards away, sat down on the shady grass and began
to whistle, with his eyes on the door.

Presently he was rewarded. On a sudden, around the edge of the sil