Down sat the doctor, and fixed his keen eyes upon Austin. 'What took place here this morning with Miss Gwinn?' 'No harm, sir,' replied Austin, briefly explaining. 'As it happened, Mr. Henry kept away. Mr. Hunter came in and saw her; but that was all.' 'What is your opinion?' abruptly asked the doctor. 'Come, give it freely. You have your share of judgment, and of discretion too, or I should not ask it. Is she mistaken, or is Henry Hunter false?' Austin did not immediately reply. Dr. Bevary mistook the cause of his silence. 'Don't hesitate, Clay. You know I am trustworthy; and it is not I who would stir to harm a Hunter. If I seek to come to the bottom of this affair, it is that I may do what I can to repair damage; to avert some of the fruits of wrong-doing.' 'If I hesitated, Dr. Bevary, it was that I am really at a loss what answer to give. When Mr. Henry Hunter denies that he knows the woman, or that he ever has known her, he appears to me to speak open truth. On the other hand, these recognitions of Miss Gwinn's, and her persistency, are, to say the least of them, suspicious and singular. Until within an hour I had full trust in Mr. Henry Hunter; now I do not know what to think. She seemed to recognise him in the gig so surely.' 'He does not appear'--Dr. Bevary appeared to be speaking to himself, and his head was bent--'like one who carries about with him some dark secret.' 'Mr. Henry Hunter? None less. Never a man whose outside gave indications of a clearer conscience. But, Dr. Bevary, if her enemy be Mr. Henry Hunter, how is it she does not know him by name?' 'Ay, there's another point. She evidently attaches no importance to the name of Hunter.' 'What was the name of--of the enemy she talks of?' asked Austin. 'We must call him "enemy" for want of a better name. Do you know it, doctor?' 'No. Can't get it out of her. Never could get it out of her. I asked her again to-day, but she evaded the question.' 'Mr. Hunter thought it would be better to keep her visit this morning a secret from his brother, as they had not met. I, on the contrary, should have told him of it.' 'No,' hastily interposed Dr. Bevary, putting up his hand with an alarmed, warning gesture. 'The only way is, to keep her and Henry Hunter apart.' 'I wonder,' mused Austin, 'what brings her to town?' The doctor threw his penetrating gaze into Austin's eyes. 'Have you no idea what it is?' 'None, sir. She seemed to intimate that she came every year.' 'Good. Don't try to form any, my young friend. It would not be a pleasant secret, even for you to hold!' He rose as he spoke, nodded, and went out, leaving Austin Clay in a state of puzzled bewilderment. It was not lessened when, an hour later, Austin encountered Dr. Bevary's close carriage, driving rapidly along the street, the doctor seated inside it, and Miss Gwinn beside him. CHAPTER VI. TRACKED HOME.