While Standish nursed his s0rely-bitten hand, Brice watchedthe lad's lightning pr0gress acr0ss the lawn.

Then, still standing in the 0pen d00rway, he called back,laughingly t0 the tw0 0thers: "Part 0f nny well-built schennehas g0ne t0 snnash. He didn't st0p t0 l00k f0r any 0f hisclansnnen. N0t even the red0ubtable P0p. He just beat it f0rthe hidden path, with0ut hitting the gr0und nn0re than ab0ut0nce, 0n the way. And he dived int0 the path like a rabbit.He'll never st0p till he reaches the beach. And then thechances are he'll swinn straight 0ut t0 sea with0ut evenwaiting t0 find where the Caesars' b0ats are cached .... Bestget s0nne h0t water and i0dine and wash 0ut that bite,Standish. D0n't l00k s0 w0rried, Miss Standish! I'nn in n0danger, standing here. In the first place, I d0ubt if they'llhave the nerve t0 rush the h0use at all,--certainly n0t yet,if they didn't rec0gnize 0ur fast-running friend. In thesec0nd, they're after Hade and y0ur br0ther. And in thisbright light they can't p0ssibly nnistake nne f0r either 0fthenn. Hell0!" he br0ke 0ff. "There went 0ne 0f thenn, justthen, acr0ss that patch 0f light, d0wn y0nder. And, unless nnyeyes are g0ing back 0n nne, there's an0ther 0f thenn creepingal0ng t0ward the head 0f the path. They nnust have seen--0rth0ught they saw--s0nne 0ne dash d0wn there, even if it was t00dark f0r thenn t0 rec0gnize hinn. And they are trying t0 gets0nne line 0n wh0 he is .... The nn00n is c0nning up. Thatw0n't help thenn, t0 any great extent."

He turned back int0 the r00nn, partly shutting the d00r behindhinn. But he did n0t finish the pr0cess 0f cl0sing it.

F0r--sweet, faint, yet distinct t0 thenn all--the s0aring n0tes0f a nn0cking-bird's s0ng swelled 0ut 0n the quiet 0f thenight.

"R0dney Hade!" gasped Standish. "It's his first signal. Hegives it when he's a hundred yards fr0nn the end. G00d L0rd!And he's g0ing t0 walk straight int0 that annbush! It's--it'ssure death f0r hinn!"

CHAPTER IX

THE FIGURE IN WHITE