can talk a little more."

When he returned she had risen and was standing by the window looking
out into the back yard. She was calm and even smiled a little as he
entered, although the smile was a rather pitiful one. Of the two the
Judge looked the more perturbed.

"Whew!" he exclaimed, after carefully closing the door behind him. "I've
been doing a little thinking my self, young lady, since I left you here.
I've been thinking that I had better take a trip to Canada or China or
somewhere and start in a hurry, too. When your uncles find out that I
told you this thing they have succeeded in keeping from you all this
time--well, it will be high time for me to be somewhere else." He
laughed and then added gravely: "But I still think I was right in
telling you. Under the circumstances it seems to me that you should
know."

"Of course I should. If you had not told me I should have found it out,
now that my suspicions were aroused. Thank you, Judge Baxter. Now I must
go."

"Go? Go where?"

"Home--to South Harniss."

"Nonsense! You're not going to South Harniss yet awhile. You're going to
have dinner with my wife and me."

"Thank you. I can't. I must go at once. By the next train."