dn't rightly know whether you was with me or
against me."

"With you--always with you, dear father!"

"And I was a little doubtful, so to speak, seeing as how you had taken
up, although by accident, with a fellow belonging to the camp of my
enemies. But now I'll tell you a little more. Has Mr. Lepel ever told
you that he had a sister?"

"No."

"Well, he has; and, what's more, she's married to the old General--you
remember him at Beechfield?"

"Yes."

"Maybe you remember her too--a very fair lady, as used to walk out with
the little girl--Mr. Sydney Vane's little girl?"

Cynthia was silent for a moment.

"Yes," she said, at length--"I think I remember her."

"You've seen the child too?"

"Yes"--Cynthia's eyes softened; "I am sure I remember her."

"I'll tell you about her presently. I've got a notion in my head about
these Lepels. Miss Lepel, as was, and Mr. Sydney Vane was in love with
one another and about to run away from England when he was killed. I
know that for a fact, so you needn't look so scared. They was on the
point of an elopement when he died--I knew that all along; but,
stupid-like, I never thought of putting two and two together and
connecting it with his death. It just seemed a pity to throw shame and
blame on the dead, seeing as how there was his wife and child to bear
all the disgrace; and so I held my tongue."

"But how did you know, father?"

"By using my eyes and my ears," said Westwood briefly--"that's how I
knew. They used to meet in that little plantation often enough. I've
lain low in a dry ditch more than once when they were close by and heard
their goings-on. They were going off next day, when Mr. Vane met with
his deserts. And what I say is that somebody related to Miss Lepel found
out the truth and shot him like a dog."

"Why did you not think of all this at the right time? Oh, father, it is
too late now!"

"I'm not so sure of that. And, as for the gun--well, that often puzzled
me; for I hadn't fired it myself that afternoon, Cynthy, and yet it had
been fired--and that's what made part of the evidence against me. I'd
been out that afternoon, and, coming home, who should I see in the
distance but two or three gentlemen strolling along the road--Mr. Vane
and the General and one or two strangers? Quick as thought, I laid my
gun down and walked on as careless as you please. They met me--you know,
that was a bit of the General's evidence, I looked back when I'd passed
them, a