"Thank you!" said Jack. "Excuse my precautions, but it is night, and
this is, for the present, my bedroom."

"My name is Rylands; you called at my house this afternoon and saw my
wife," said Rylands slowly.

"I did," said Hamlin. "It was mighty kind of you to return my call so
soon, but I didn't expect it."

"I reckon not. But I know who you are, and that you are an old associate
of hers, in the days of her sin and unregeneration. I want you to answer
me, before God and man, what was your purpose in coming there to-day?"

"Look here! I don't think it's necessary to drag in strangers to hear my
answer," said Jack, lying down again, "but I came to borrow a horse."

"Is that the truth?"

Jack got upon his feet very solemnly, put on his hat, drew down his
waistcoat, and approached Mr. Rylands with his hands in his pockets.

"Mr. Rylands," he said, with great suavity of manner, "this is the
second time today that I have had the honor of having my word doubted by
your family. Your wife was good enough to question my assertion that I
didn't know that she was living here, but that was a woman's vanity. You
have no such excuse. There is my horse yonder, lame, as you may see. I
didn't lame him for the sake of seeing your wife nor you."

There was that in Mr. Hamlin's audacity and perfect self-possession