e, turned again, it was to find that
look once more on him, now in yearning appeal. "Southall," he said,
"send for Judith. I--I must see her. There's time."

The judge started up. "I'll bring her," he said, and his voice had all
the tenderness of a woman's. "My carriage is at the door and with those
horses she ought to be here in twenty minutes." He leaned over the
couch. "Bristow," he said, "would you--would you like me to send for the
rector?"

The major smiled, a little wistfully, and shook his head. He lay silent
for a while after the judge had gone out--he seemed housing his
strength--while the ormolu clock on the desk ticked ominously on, and
the doctor busied himself with the glasses beside him. Presently he said
huskily:

"You've had a bad fall, Bristow. You were dizzy, I reckon."

"Dizzy!" echoed the major with feeble asperity. "It was Greef King."

"Greef King! Good God!"

"He was hiding behind the screen. He struck me with something. He swore
at his trial he'd get me. I was--a fool not to have remembered his time
was out."

A look, wolf-like and grim, had sprung into the doctor's face. His eyes
searched the room, and he crossed the floor and picked up something from
the rug. He looked at it a moment, then thrust it hastily into his
breast pocket.

"I--remember now. It was a pistol. He snapped it twice, but it missed
fire."

"He can't hide where we'll not find him!" The doctor spoke with low but
terrible energy.

"Not that I care--myself," said the major difficultly. "But I reckon
he'd better be settled with, or he'll--be killing some one worth while
one of these days."

A big tear suddenly loosed itself from the doctor's eyelid and rolled
down his cheek, and he turned hastily away.

"There's no call to feel bad," said the major gruffly. "I've sort of
been a thorn-in-the-flesh to you, Southall. We always rowed, somehow,
and yet--"

The doctor choked and cleared his throat.

"I reckon," the major murmured with a faint smile, "you won't get quite
so much fun out of Chalmers--and the rest. They never did rise to you
like I did."

A little later he asked for the restorative. "Ten minutes gone," he said
then. "Chalmers ought to be at Rosewood by now ... what a fool way to
go--like this. But it wasn't--apoplexy, Southall, anyway."

* * * * *

At the sound of wheels on the drive, Valiant went out quietly. Huddled
in a corner of the hall were Uncle Jefferson and A