What he saw to-day confirmed his suspicions.

The gentleman in knickerbockers could be no other than the squire himself, of course.

He was evidently in the habit of visiting Mary Goddard and he did not wish his visits to be observed by the clergyman, who was of course the vicar or rector of the parish.

That proved conclusively in the fugitive's mind that there was something wrong.

He ground his teeth together and said to himself that it would be worth while to run some risk in order to stop that little game, as he expressed it.