They were walking their horses; the groom followed stolidly behind.
Armitage was silent, a look of great perplexity on his face.

When he spoke he was quite calm.
"Miss Claiborne, I must tell you that this is an affair in which I can't ask help in the usual channels.

You will pardon me if I seem to make a mystery of what should be ordinarily a bit of business between myself and the police; but to give publicity to these attempts to injure me just now would be a mistake.

I could have caught that man there in the wood; but I let him go, for the reason--for the reason that I want the men back of him to show themselves before I act.

But if it isn't presuming--" He was quite himself again.