Some one lounging on Post Bridge might see them. A labourer in the fields, or a farmer on the hills, who would carry the news back to his cottage at night that he had seen the young master of Post Bridge Hall making love to old John Dale’s daughter. But he did not care—now. Every one should soon know that they loved and that Marjorie was to be his affianced wife. He told her as gently as he could what had happened. Of course, he made as light of it as possible, assuring her that Rupert would be released and the affair cleared up satisfactorily. "That’s why the guv’nor wrote to me instead of your father and asked me to tell him and see him off to London. He was afraid if he wrote Mr. Dale would put the worst construction possible on the affair. It’s quite a common thing for a man to be arrested by mistake on some scraps of evidence the police get hold of.... Don’t you worry, Marjorie. You’ve got to leave all the worrying to me in future." She tried to smile and press his hand, but the happiness had left her eyes and her face was very pale now. "I’m frightened," she whispered. "I can’t help it, Jim—if father goes to London I must go with him." But James Crichton shook his head. "That’s just what you mustn’t do. That friend of Rupert’s I saw the other day will see him safely up to town. Despard was his name, wasn’t it? I suppose he’s still here?" Marjorie nodded. "Yes. He and Rupert had made some discovery in the old tin-mine. They were awfully excited about it." She tried to laugh. "They were going to find radium and make a fortune, I believe. I heard them say something about it.... Oh, Jim, we were so happy and everything seemed to be turning out so well. And now this has happened. Rupert—it can’t be true. Of course, I know it isn’t true. It will kill father." Jim forced himself to laugh. "My dear, we shall have him back here within a week. You mustn’t think anything more about it. There’s something else I want to tell you. I’m going to announce our engagement—at once." She looked at him with unbelieving eyes, almost as if she could not understand. Then she shook her head. "Not now, Jim. We must wait until—until Rupert’s free; this charge against him disproved." He shook his head, and, stopping, held her in his arms again. "Darling, if by any chance the worst should happen, it would make no difference to our love! Nothing would force me to give you up. That’s why I’m going to announce our engagement now. Now, while this thing is hanging over our heads." Again she would have protested, but he silenced her. "I’ve made up my mind, nothing can change it." Holding her hand he led her forward and opened the gate that led into the farmhouse garden. As they entered they saw Despard lounging in a chair on the lawn reading the morning newspaper, a pipe between his lips. He glanced up as they entered, smiled at Marjorie, and without taking the pipe from his lips, or rising, gave Jim Crichton a curt nod.