"You might have invited me to walk with you," retorted Sam. "But you knew that I was coming and I didn't know that you even knew--" he paused abruptly and fixed a contemplative eye upon young Mr. Turner, who was now surveying the scenery and Mr. Princeman in calm enjoyment. The arrival at this moment of a cloud of dust out of which evolved a lone horseman, and that horseman Billy Westlake, added a new angle to the situation, and for one fleeting moment the three men eyed one another in mutual sheepish guilt. "Rather good sport, I call it, Miss Stevens," declared Billy, aware of a sudden increase in his estimation of Mr. Turner, and letting the cat completely out of the bag. "Each of us was trying to steal a march on the rest, but Mr. Turner used the most businesslike method, and of course he won the race." "I'm flattered, I'm sure," said Miss Josephine demurely. "I really feel that I ought to go right back to the house and be the belle of the ball; but it's impossible for an hour or so in this case," and she turned to her escort with the smile of mischief which she had worn the first time he saw her. "You see, we are out on a little business trip, Mr. Turner and myself. We're going to buy a walnut grove." Mr. Turner turned upon her a glance which was half a frown. "I promised to get you back in two hours, and I'll do it," he stated, "but we mustn't linger much by the wayside." "With which hint we shall wend our Hollis Creek-ward way," laughed Princeman, exchanging a glance of amusement with Miss Stevens. "I think we shall visit with your father until you come back." "Please do," she urged. "He will be as glad to see you both as I am," with which information she settled herself back in her seat with a little air of the interview being over, and the chauffeur, with proper intuition, started the machine, while Mr. Princeman and Billy looked after them glumly. "Queer chap, isn't he?" commented Billy. "Queer? Well, hardly that," returned Princeman thoughtfully. "There's one thing certain; he's enterprising and vigorous enough to command respect, in business or--anything else." At about that very moment Mr. Turner was impressing upon his companion a very important bit of ethics. "You shouldn't have violated my confidence," he told her severely. "How was that?" she asked in surprise, and with a trifle of indignation as well. "You told them that we were going to buy a walnut grove. You ought never to let slip anything you happen to know of any man's business plans." "Oh!" she said blankly. Having voiced his straightforward objection, and delivered his simple but direct lesson, Mr. Turner turned as decisively to other matters. "Son," he asked, leaning over toward the chauffeur, "are there any speed limit laws on these roads?" "None that I know of," replied the boy. "Then cut her loose. Do you object to fast driving, Miss Stevens?"