meaning of, you ought to—"     

       "Are you actually going to lend all that money to Graustark?" she cut in.     

       He glared at her uncertainly for a moment and then nodded his head. The words wouldn't come.     

       "Are you not a trifle premature about it?" she demanded with deep significance in her manner.     

       This time he did not nod his head, nor did he shake it. He simply got up and walked out of the room. Half way across the terrace he stopped short and said it with a great fervour and instantly felt very much relieved. In fact, the sensation of relief was so pleasant that he repeated it two or three times and then had to explain to a near by gardener that he didn't mean him at all. Then he went down to the stables. All the grooms and stableboys came tumbling into the stable yard in response to his thunderous shout.     

       "Saddle Red Rover, and be quick about it," he commanded.     

       "Going out, sir?" asked the head groom, touching his fore-lock.     

       "I am," said Mr. Blithers succinctly and with a withering glare. Red Rover must have been surprised by the unusual celerity with which he was saddled and bridled. If there could be such a thing as a horse looking shocked, that beast certainly betrayed himself as he was yanked away from his full manger and hustled out to the mounting block.     

       "Which way did Miss Blithers go?" demanded Mr. Blithers, in the saddle. Two grooms were clumsily trying to insert his toes into the stirrups, at the same time pulling down his trousers legs, which had a tendency to hitch up in what seemed to them a most exasperating disregard for form. To their certain knowledge, Mr. Blithers had never started out before without boot and spur; therefore, the suddenness of his present sortie sank into their intellects with overwhelming impressiveness.     

       "Down the Cutler road, sir, three quarters of an hour ago. She refused to have a groom go along, sir."     

       "Get ap!" said Mr. Blithers, and almost ran down a groom in his rush for the gate. For the information of the curious, it may be added that he did not overtake his daughter until she had been at home for 

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