l.
His appointment as groom for the daughter of Putney Congdon was only
another ironic turn of fate. The child might remember him as the man who
had rescued her balloon in Central Park, but in his shabby clothes and
with his face disguised by a week's growth of beard this was unlikely. A
more serious matter for concern was the possibility that the Governor or
his agents might attempt to steal her away from him while she was in his
care. But so far in his stormy pilgrimage he had gained nothing by
yielding to apprehensions and he whistled as he rubbed down the pony and
got his own mount ready.

The child came running into the barn lot followed by the woman who had
been a party to her abduction, and danced joyfully toward the pony.

"Edith mustn't stay out too long; an hour will be enough for the first
day. And please keep close to the gate. You're sure you understand
horses?"

Archie satisfied her on all points, submitting himself to her critical
gaze without flinching. In his big straw hat he was not even remotely
suggestive of the man who had attempted to frustrate the seizure of the
child in the park. In her ecstatic welcome of the pony Edith hardly gave
Archie a glance. A riding costume had been improvised for her out of a
boy scout's suit, and with her curls flying under her broad hat she was
a spirited and appealing figure. The woman followed them down the lane
to the road, where she indicated the bounds to be observed during the
lesson. The pony was old and fat, and only with much urging could he be
brought to a trot. Archie delivered himself of all the wisdom he could
recall from the instruction of his riding teacher as to seat and
carriage. The companionship of the child cheered him; and as they
patrolled the road she prattled with youthful volubility. When a
traction engine passed towing a threshing machine the sorrel mare showed
her mettle in a series of gyrations that all but landed Archie in a
fence corner.

Edith, watching him with trepidation, cried out in admiration of his
horsemanship. The woman, satisfied that the groom was really a master
horseman, sat down on the grass by the gate to read.

Archie, in his anxiety to save the child from mishap, had given little
attention to the traffic on the road until he awoke to the fact that the
same touring car had passed twice within a short period. It was a smart
vehicle with a chauffeur in gray livery whose figure tantalized his
memory. It flashed upon hi