"Great colt, suh! Peter reports his condition puhfect." "You have no apprehension in regard to the race?" The old gentleman's eyes shot fire under their gray brows, and his body became more erect. "I'm as satisfied he'll win as I am the sun will rise tuhmorrow!" "Good! I share your belief to the full. Let me say good-bye now. The sun will not last much over an hour." A minute later Julia and John were passing through the garden, side by side. "Of course you read in the paper about Uncle Arthur's death?" she said. John flushed guiltily, and he gave her a covert look. Her face was a little shadowed, and very sweet. "Yes," he answered, seeking vainly in his mind for an excuse to change the subject. "It was all very queer," she resumed, puckering her brow and shaking her head slowly. "The letter from the lawyer was so formal, and was not explicit. We have feared there was some mistake, as we have not heard from Uncle Arthur for so many years. Father wrote to the lawyer asking for further details, but has heard nothing from him." "It was queer," admitted Glenning, feeling the weight of his duplicity, while his conscience writhed as though a white hot iron had touched it. "It saddened us so much to think that he was coming back to us, and did not live to get home. Wasn't it dreadful?" "Indeed it was." John drew a long breath, and fidgeted inwardly. They had reached the stone fence bounding the garden, and he seized his chance. "Let me help you over!" he cried, leaping to the flat top of the fence and extending his hand. She took it, and allowed herself to be drawn up. Then he descended and swung her to the ground with her hands in his. A gently sloping, slightly wooded hill stretched up before them, and as they began the leisurely ascent she spoke again. "You know that local news comes to us rather slowly, and we have just learned of what you did to Mr. Marston--that day." Her voice was low, and she did not look at him. John's face darkened, but he did not answer on the moment. "I felt that I should speak to you," went on Julia; "it was because of me you did it. You were very brave." Her face was aflame now. "Yes," he replied. "The cur had mistreated you in some way, and I could not stand it!"