sunlight danced and nickered on the wall as if it shared the
excitement of their suspense. The footsteps drew nearer. They paused
dramatically. The whistling ceased abruptly. Had the stranger taken
warning? A match was struck. He was only lighting a cigarette. The
footsteps came on again. At the final bend of the stairs the intruder
came in sight. He halted, mirroring their surprise, and stood staring
down at them with a bleak, hard look. He was the man whom they had least
expected.

Tabs was the first to collect himself. He closed the front door behind
him. "Good morning, General. You couldn't have been more prompt if we
had telegraphed you that we were coming." When Braithwaite still stared,
Tabs continued, "Allow me to introduce you to Lady Dawn and may I ask
how long I have had you as my guest?"

Braithwaite drew a puff at his cigarette. His manner was as haughty as
if he had been the owner of the house. "Since last night," he said. "I
have to thank your Lordship for a bed. Mrs. Braithwaite----" A gleam of
amusement shot into his eyes. "Mrs. Braithwaite had a sentiment for
spending her first night beneath your roof. Seeing that you were away
and that I was so newly wedded"--he made an eloquent gesture--"I could
scarcely deny her." Turning on his heel, he commenced to reascend.
Across his shoulder he flung back, "Of course I apologize. We'll not
trespass further. In a few minutes I'll have her dressed. In half an
hour, at the outside, I'll remove her."

"Don't be a fool." Tabs spoke sharply. "You make me wonder which of us
is mad."

Braithwaite regarded him for a moment with an enigmatic smile. "I'm not.
Yesterday I did the wisest thing of my life." With that he vanished.

Lady Dawn turned to Tabs gently. "If that's the way he feels, then he
has. Terry's to be congratulated."

"But why on earth should she have wanted to spend her marriage-night in
my house?" Tabs questioned. "My house of all inappropriate places!
That's what I can't understand. And what could Ann have been doing to
consent? You remember I told you there was a time when he was
practically engaged to Ann."

They mounted the stairs till they came to the first landing. Entering
the library, with its bright red lacquer, they sat down to await events.
But Tabs did not sit long; he was too restless. Having flung wide the
French windows which opened out on to the veranda, he kept going to the
doorway to listen.

He glanced at his wrist-watch. "Bar