that if Miss Hernshaw wished to have her offer known as hers to the
purchaser of St. Johnswort he would be happy to notify him of it.

"You see," she eagerly commented to Hewson, "he does not give your name;
but I know who it is, though I did not know when I made him my offer. I
must answer his letter now, and what shall I say? Shall I tell him I know
who it is? I should like to; I hate all concealments! Will it do any harm
to tell him I know?"

Hewson reflected. "I don't see how it can. I was trying to come to you,
when I got your note, to say that St. John had been to see me, and
offered to release me from my offer, because, as I thought, you had made
him a better one. He's amusingly rapacious, St. John is."

"And what did you--I beg your pardon!"

"Oh, not at all. I said I would stand to my offer."

She repressed, apparently, some form of protest, and presently asked,
"And what shall I say?"

"Oh, if you like, that you have learned who the purchaser of St.
Johnswort is, and that you know he will not give way."

"Well!" she said, with a quick sigh, as of disappointment. After an
indefinite pause, she asked, "Shall you be going to St. Johnswort?"

"Why, I don't know," Hewson answered. "I had thought of going to Europe.
But, yes, I think I shall go to St. Johnswort, first, at any rate. One
can't simply turn one's back on a piece of real estate in that way," he