He turned to leave the barn, and the sinister sneer on his face gave
Crosby a new and amazing inspiration. Like a flash there rushed into his
mind the belief that Austin had a deep laid design in not permitting him
to see the lady. With this belief also came the conviction that he was
hurrying her off to New York on some pretext simply to forestall any
action that might induce her to continue the contemplated suit against
the estate. Mrs. Delancy had undoubtedly been urged to drop the matter
under pressure of promises, and the Austins were getting her away from
the scene of action before she could reconsider or before her solicitors
could convince her of the mistake she was making. The thought of this
sent the fire of resentment racing through Crosby's brain, and he fairly
gasped with the longing to get at the bottom of the case. His only hope
now lay in sending a telegram to Mr. Rolfe, commanding him to meet Mrs.
Delancy when her train reached Chicago, and to lay the whole matter
before her.

Before Austin could make his exit the voices of women were heard outside
the door and an instant later two ladies entered. The farmer attempted
to turn them back, but the younger, taller, and slighter of the
newcomers cried:

"I just couldn't go without another look at the horses, Bob."

Crosby, on the beam, did not fail to observe the rich, tender tone of
the voice, and it would have required almost total darkness to obscure
the beauty of her face. Her companion was older and coarser, and he
found delight in the belief that she was the better half of the
disagreeable Mr. Austin.

"Good-afternoon, Mrs. Delancy!" came a fine masculine voice from