“Besides,” Winthrop told himself, “I deliberately led him on to lose control of himself. I’m as much to blame as he is. I wasn’t in my right mind myself that night; maybe the evening ended less disastrously than it might have. I dare say it was the moonlight. I’ve blamed everything so far on the weather, and the moonlight might as well come in for its share. Served me right, too, for wanting to make a holy show of myself on horseback. Oh, I was decidedly mad that night; moon-mad, that’s it.” He reflected a moment, then―― “The worst thing about being knocked unconscious,” he went on, “is that you don’t know what happens until you come to again. Now I’d like to have looked on at events. For instance, I’d give a thousand dollars――if I still possess that much――to know what Holly did or said, or didn’t do. I think I’ll ask her.” He smiled at the idea. Then―― “Why not?” he said, half aloud. “I want to know; why not ask? Why, hang it all, I will ask! And right now, too.” He arose from the chair in the shade of the Baltimore Belle and walked to the door. “Miss Holly,” he called. “Yes?” The voice came from up-stairs. “Are you very, very busy?” “N-no, not very, Mr. Winthrop.” “Then will you grant a dying man the grace of a few moments of your valuable time?” There was a brief moment of hesitation, broken by the anxious voice of Miss India. “Holly!” called her aunt, indignantly, “go down at once and see what Mr. Winthrop wants. I reckon Phœbe has forgotten to take him his negus.” Winthrop smiled, and groaned. Holly’s steps pattered across the hall and he went back to the end of the porch, dragging a second chair with him and placing it opposite his own. When Holly came he pointed to it gravely. Holly’s heart fell. Winthrop had a right to know the truth, but it didn’t seem fair that the duty of confessing Julian’s act should fall to her. The cowardice of it loomed large and terrible to her. [Illustration] “Miss Holly,” said Winthrop, “I am naturally curious to learn what happened the other night. Now, as you were an eye-witness of the episode, I come to you for information.” “You mean that I’ve come to you,” answered Holly, smiling nervously. “True; I accept the correction.” “What――what do you want to know?” asked Holly. “All, please.” Holly’s eyes dropped, and her hands clutched each other desperately in her lap. “I――he――oh, Mr. Winthrop, he didn’t know what he was doing; truly he didn’t! He didn’t think what might happen!” [Illustration] “He? Who? Oh, you mean Julian? Of course he didn’t think; I understand that perfectly. And it’s of no consequence, really, Miss Holly. He was angry; in fact, I’d helped make him so; he acted on the impulse.” “Then you knew?” wondered Holly. “Knew something was up, that’s all. I suppose he flicked the mare with the whip; I dare say he only wanted to start her for me.” Holly shook her head.