attempt to catch the speaker's expression in the darkness.
"I should hardly venture to give an opinion," he said, after a pause.
"Miss Dows' relations with her neighbors are so very peculiar. And from
what you tell me of her cousin it would seem that her desire to placate
them is not always to be depended upon."

"I'm not finding fault with HER, you know," said Champney hastily. "I'm
not such a beastly cad as that; I wouldn't have spoken of my affairs at
all, but you asked, you know. I only thought, if she was going to get
herself into trouble on account of that Frenchman, you might talk to
her--she'd listen to you, because she'd know you only did it out of
business reasons. And they're really business reasons, you know. I
suppose you don't think much of my business capacity, colonel, and you
wouldn't go much on my judgment--especially now; but I've been here
longer than you and"--he lowered his voice slightly and dragged his
chair nearer Courtland--"I don't like the looks of things here. There's
some devilment plotting among those rascals. They're only awaiting an
opportunity; a single flash would be enough to set them in a blaze, even
if the fire wasn't lit and smouldering already like a spark in a bale of
cotton. I'd cut the whole thing and clear out if I didn't think it would
make it harder for Miss Dows, who would be left alone."

"You're a good fellow, Champney," said Courtland, laying his hand on
the young man's shoulder with a sudden impulse, "and I forgive you for
overlooking any concern that I might have. Indeed," he added, with an
odd seriousness and a half sigh, "it's not strange that you should. But
I must remind you that the Dowses are strictly the agents and tenants of
the company I represent, and that their rights and property under that
tenancy shall not be interfered with by others as long as I am here.
I have no right, however," he added gravely, "to keep Miss Dows from
imperiling them by her social relations."

Champney rose and shook hands with him awkwardly. "The shower seems to
be holding up," he said, "and I'll toddle along before it starts afresh.
Good-night! I say--you didn't mind my coming to you this way, did you?
By Jove! I thought you were a little stand-offish at first. But you know
what I meant?"

"Perfectly, and I thank you." They shook hands again. Champney stepped
from the portico, and, reaching the gate, seemed to vanish as he had
come, out of the darkness.

The storm was not ye