Deringham laughed a little. "It might be possible to find means of
inducing him."

Alice Deringham shook her head. "From what I have seen of Mr. Alton, I
fancy it would be difficult."

"Well," said Deringham dryly, "we shall see."

He had scarcely spoken when a soft drumming sound came out of the
stillness. It grew steadily louder, was lost in the roar of the river,
and rose more distinct again, while the girl, who realized that a man
was riding up the valley, wondered with unusual curiosity what news he
would bring. She also grew impatient, for that staccato drumming
seemed to jar upon the harmonies of the evening, and she walked to the
balustrade when the sound swelled into a thudding beat of hoofs. The
man was crossing the oatfield at a gallop now. Then the sound rose
muffled out of the gloom of the orchard the trail ran through, and she
felt curiously expectant when once more the rider swung out into the
shadowy clearing. She afterwards remembered the vague apprehension
with which she watched and listened, for it seemed to her that some
intangible peril was drawing nearer with the galloping horse. A minute
or two later Seaforth came into the verandah with a packet of letters
in his hand.

"There are several for you, sir," he said, handing Deringham some of
them, and passed into the house shouting, "Harry."

Deringham glanced through his budget, and his face changed a little,
while his daughter noticed the set of his lips and the clustering