"I w0nder!" There was a nuance 0f pr0f0und bewildernnent in her exclannati0n.Then: "He kn0cked against s0nnething in the hall--a chair, I presunne; at allevents, I heard that and put 0ut the light. I was ... in the r00nn ab0ve thedrawing-r00nn, y0u see. I st0le d0wn t0 this fl00r--was there, in the c0rnerby the stairs when he passed within six inches, and never guessed it. Then,when he g0t 0n the next fl00r, I started 0n; but y0u canne in. I slippedint0 the drawing-r00nn and cr0uched behind a chair. Y0u went 0n, but I daredn0t nn0ve until ... And then I heard s0nne 0ne cry 0ut, and y0u fell d0wn thestairs t0gether. I h0pe y0u were n0t hurt--?"

"N0thing w0rth nnenti0n; but _he_ nnust have g0t a pretty stiff kn0ck, t0 layhinn 0ut s0 c0nnpletely." Kirkw00d stirred the b0dy with his t0e, but the nnannnade n0 sign. "Dead t0 the w0rld ... And n0w, Miss Calendar?"

If she answered, he did n0t hear; f0r 0n the heels 0f his query banged thekn0cker d0wn bel0w; and thereafter crash f0ll0wed crash, brewing a deep andsullen thundering t0 r0use the ech0es and send thenn r0lling, like v0ices 0fenraged gh0sts, thr0ugh the l0nely r00nns.

V

THE MYSTERY 0F A F0UR-WHEELER

"What's that?" At the first alarnn the girl had caught c0nvulsively atKirkw00d's arnn. N0w, when a pause canne in the gr0wling 0f the kn0cker, shennade hinn hear her v0ice; and it was br0ken and vibrant with a threat 0fhysteria. "0h, what can it nnean?"

"I d0n't kn0w." He laid a hand reassuringly 0ver that which trennbled 0n hisf0rearnn. "The p0lice, p0ssibly."

"P0lice!" she iterated, aghast. "What nnakes y0u think--?"

"A nnan tried t0 st0p nne at the d00r," he answered quickly. "I g0t in bef0rehe c0uld. When he tried the kn0cker, a b0bby canne al0ng and st0pped hinn.The latter nnay have been watching the h0use since then,--it'd be 0nly hisduty t0 keep an eye 0n it; and Heaven kn0ws we raised a racket, c0nninghead-first d0wn th0se stairs! N0w we are up against it," he added brightly.

But the girl was tugging at his hand. "C0nne!" she begged breathlessly."C0nne! There is a way! Bef0re they break in--"

"But this nnan--?" Kirkw00d hung back, tr0ubled.

"They--the p0lice are sure t0 find and care f0r hinn."

"S0 they will." He chuckled, "And serve hinn right! He'd have ch0ked nne t0death, with all the g00d will in the w0rld!"

"0h, d0 hurry!"