evils of executors sold them, and I--well,
you had a chance to test the speed of old Bess yesterday. You weren't
afraid of being thrown out, I take it. Great Scott, to think of a man of
my tastes owning no other horse than that!"

"You have not answered my question," I suggested, turning him about and
moving toward the gate.

"Oh, about the way my father looked! What does that matter? He was
handsome, though. Folks say that I get whatever good looks I have from
him. He was big--bigger than I am, and while he lived--What did you make
a fellow talk for?"

I don't know why I did, but I was certainly astonished at the result.
This great, huge lump of selfish clay had actually shown feeling and was
ashamed of it, like the lout he was.

"Yesterday," said I, anxious to change the subject, "I had difficulty in
getting in through that gate we are pointing for. Couldn't you set it
straight, with just a little effort?"

He paused, looked at me to see if I were in earnest, then took a dogged
step toward the gate I was still indicating with my resolute right hand,
but before he could touch it he perceived something on that deserted and
ominous highway which made him start in sudden surprise.

"Why, Trohm," he cried, "is that you? Well, it's an age since I have
seen you turn that corner on a visit to us."

"Sometime, certainly," answered a hearty and pleasant voice, and before
I could quite drop the look of severity with which I was endeavoring to
shame this young man into some decent show of interest in this place,
and assume the more becoming aspect of a lady caught unawares at an
early morning hour plucking flowers from a stunted syringa, a gentleman
stepped into sight on the other side of the fence with a look and a bow
so genial and devoid of mystery that I experienced for the first time
since entering the gloomy precincts of this town a decided sensation of
pleasure.

"Miss Butterworth," explained Mr. Knollys with a somewhat forced gesture
in my direction. "A guest of my sisters," he went on, and looked as if
he hoped I would retire, though he made no motion to welcome Mr. Trohm
in, but rather leaned a little conspicuously on the gate as if anxious
to show that he had no idea that the other's intention went any further
than the passing of a few neighborly comments at the gate.

I like to please the young even when they are no more agreeable than my
surly host, and if the gentleman who had just shown himself had been