looking at his perturbed face, an old
legend crossed her mind. "Mr. Edmonson has lost his shadow," she
thought; and it seemed ominous to her.

"There are no details," answered the earl. "Nothing has happened. If you
imagine I have quarrelled with him, you are mistaken. Nothing of the
sort. There were reasons, as I have said, to keep me at home, and he had
no claim upon me to accompany him. Besides, there's a something, that
as I said, I can't put into words, and I may be entirely wrong. But
Edmonson is a terrible fellow at times. One day he--." Then Bulchester
stopped abruptly, and began a new sentence. "I know nothing," he said.
"I have nothing to tell, only I fear, because if he wants anything, he
must have it through every obstacle. When he takes the bits between his
teeth, Heaven only knows where he will bring up, and Heaven hasn't
much to do with the direction of his running, I imagine. Sometimes one
would rather not ride behind him." As he finished, his eyes were on
Elizabeth's face, and it seemed as if he were speaking especially for
her. But in a moment as they met hers full of inquiry, he dropped them
and looked disturbed.

"You are frightfully mysterious," cried Katie.

"Not at all," he entreated. "There is no mystery anywhere. I never said
anything about mysteries. Please don't think I spoke of such a thing."

"Yes, you are very mysterious," she insisted. "Nobody can help seeing
that you know evil of your friend, and don't want to tell it. I dare say
it's to your credit. But, all the same, it's tantalizing."

Not even her commendation could keep a sharp anxiety from showing itself
on Bulchester's face. "I have said nothing," he answered, "it all might
happen and he have no concern in it--, I mean," he caught himself back
with a startled look and then went on with an assumption of coolness, "I
mean exactly what I say, Mistress Archdale, simply that Edmonson does
not please me so much as he did before I saw better people. But I assure
you that this has no connection with any special thing that he has
done."

"Or may do?" asked Elizabeth.

"Or that I believe he will do," he answered resolutely. But it was after
an instant's hesitation which was not lost upon one of his listeners who
sat watching him gravely, and in a moment as if uttering her thought
aloud, said,

"That is new; he used to please you entirely."

Bulchester fidgetted, and glanced at Katie who had turned toward the
speaker. There was no