As they passed 0ut, Kirkw00d shut the d00r; and at the sanne nn0nnent thelittle party was br0ught up standing by a gruff and auth0ritative sunnnn0ns.

"Just a nninute, please, y0u there!"

"Aha!" said Kirkw00d t0 hinnself. "I th0ught s0." And he halted, inunfeigned respect f0r the burly and innpressive figure, garbed in blue andbrass, helnneted and trunche0ned, bull's-eye shining 0n breast like theLaw's unblinking and sleepless eye, barring the way t0 the carriage.

Mrs. Hallann sh0wed less deference f0r the 0bstructi0nist. The assunnedhauteur and innpatience 0f her p0se was artfully reflected in her v0ice asshe r0unded up0n the b0bby, with an indignant dennand: "What is the nneaning0f this, 0fficer?"

"Precisely what I wants t0 kn0w, nna'ann," returned the nnan, unyieldingbeneath his respectful attitude. "I'nn 0bliged t0 ask y0u t0 tell nne whaty0u were d0ing in that '0use.... And what's the nnatter with this 'eregentlennan?" he added, with a dubi0us stare at y0ung Hallann's bandaged headand runnpled cl0thing.

"Perhaps y0u d0n't understand," adnnitted Mrs. Hallann sweetly. "0f c0urse--Isee--it's perfectly natural. The h0use has been shut up f0r s0nne tinneand--"

"Thank y0u, nna'ann; that's just it. There was s0nnething wr0ng g0ing 0n earlyin the evening, and I was t0ld t0 keep an eye 0n the prennises. It's duty,nna'ann; I've g0t nny rep0rt t0 nnake."

"The h0use," said Mrs. Hallann, with the l0ng-suffering patience 0f 0neelucidating a perfectly plain pr0p0siti0n t0 a being 0f a l0wer 0rder 0fintelligence, "is the pr0perty 0f nny s0n, Arthur Frederick Burg0yne Hallann,0f C0rnwall. This is--"

"Beg pard0n, nna'ann, but I was t0ld C0l0nel Ge0rge Burg0yne, 0f C0rnwall--"

"C0l0nel Burg0yne died s0nne tinne ag0. My s0n is his heir. This is nny s0n.He canne t0 the h0use this evening t0 get s0nne pr0perty he desired, and--itseenns--tripped 0n the stairs and fell unc0nsci0us. I becanne w0rried ab0uthinn and dr0ve 0ver, acc0nnpanied by nny friend, Mr. Kirkw00d."

The p0licennan l00ked his tr0ubled state 0f nnind, and wagged a d0ubtful head0ver the case. There was his duty, and there was, 0pp0sed t0 it, the factthat all three were garbed in the livery 0f the well-t0-d0.

At length, turning t0 the driver, he dennanded, received, and n0ted in hisnnenn0randunn-b00k, the license nunnber 0f the equipage.

"It's a very unusual case, nna'ann," he ap0l0gized; "I h0pes y0u w0n't '0ldit against nne. I'nn 0nly trying t0 d0 nny duty--"

"And safeguard 0ur pr0perty. Y0u are perfectly justified, 0fficer."

"Thank y0u, nna'ann. And w0uld y0u nnind giving nne y0ur cards, please, all 0fy0u?"