the plea that I wished to ask Mrs. Carter a few more questions, I let
the others go on. I watched them down the flagstone walk; saw McKnight
stop and examine the gate-posts and saw, too, the quick glance he threw
back at the house. Then I turned to Mrs. Carter.

"I would like to speak to the young lady up-stairs," I said.

She threw up her hands with a quick gesture of surrender. "I've done all
I could," she exclaimed. "She won't like it very well, but--she's in the
room over the parlor."

I went eagerly up the ladder-like stairs, to the rag-carpeted hall. Two
doors were open, showing interiors of four poster beds and high bureaus.
The door of the room over the parlor was almost closed. I hesitated
in the hallway: after all, what right had I to intrude on her? But she
settled my difficulty by throwing open the door and facing me.

"I--I beg your pardon, Miss West," I stammered. "It has just occurred
to me that I am unpardonably rude. I saw the hat down-stairs and I--I
guessed--"

"The hat!" she said. "I might have known. Does Richey know I am here?"

"I don't think so." I turned to go down the stairs again. Then I halted.
"The fact is," I said, in an attempt at justification, "I'm in rather
a mess these days, and I'm apt to do irresponsible things. It is not
impossible that I shall be arrested, in a day or so, for the murder of
Simon Harrington."

She drew her breath in sharply. "Murder!" she echoed. "Then they have
found you after all!"

"I don't regard it as anything more than--er--inconvenient," I lied.
"They can't convict me, you know. Almost all the witnesses are dead."

She was not deceived for a moment. She came over to me and stood, both
hands on the rail of the stair. "I know just how grave it is," she said
quietly. "My grandfather will not leave one stone unturned, and he can
be terrible--terrible. But"--she looked directly into my eyes as I stood
below her on the stairs--"the time may come--soon--when I can help you.
I'm afraid I shall not want to; I'm a dreadful coward, Mr. Blakeley.
But--I will." She tried to smile.

"I wish you would let me help you," I said unsteadily. "Let us make it a
bargain: each help the other!"

The girl shook her head with a sad little smile. "I am only as unhappy
as I deserve to be," she said. And when I protested and took a step
toward her she retreated, with her hands out before her.

"Why don't you ask me all the questions you are thinking?" she demanded,
with a c