ame forward.

"May is in the car," Houston explained. "Is everything ready?"

"Yes; when you get along here fifty yards more you can see the house.
The old fellow sleeps in the first-floor room on the corner. The light
has just been switched off, so he's gone to bed all right."

Meanwhile the American girl had stepped from the car, and, greeting
them all as "boys," listened to what was said.

"Let's hope the old boy will sleep comfortably, eh?" she laughed
gayly. "If he doesn't it will be the worse for him! His wife is in
Paris, or she might prove a bit of trouble to us."

"I know the ground exactly," remarked one of the three men. "I wasn't
in service here as footman for six weeks for nothing," he added with a
laugh.

"Well, come on," said Houston, who seemed to be the leader of the
adventures. "Let's get to work," and, picking up a bag which one of
the men had put down, he pressed into my hand a short, circular
electric torch, saying:

"Be careful not to press the button, because when the light is
switched on the shot is fired! Only you might require it. One never
knows! Come on."

May Cranston walked noiselessly with us, while in front the three men
stalked quietly, speaking only in low whispers. Soon we came to a path
which led into a great park, which we skirted, keeping still in the
shadow of the trees, for the moon, though nearly gone, still shed some
unwelcome light. The silence was only broken by our footsteps on the
leaves. Silhouetted against the sky was the magnificent old
castle-like mansion with many turrets in which dwelt the world's
mystery man of finance.

At last we approached quite close to the house, and, crossing the
broad terrace, we halted at the direction of our guide who had acted
as footman there.

Before us was a row of long French windows. One of these the man
known as Sam attacked in a methodical way with a short steel jimmy,
and in a few moments he had noiselessly opened it, and while somebody
showed a torch, we all entered what was, I found, a long and luxurious
drawing-room.

"Mr. Hargreave! You remain here!" said the girl Cranston, who now
assumed the leadership. "If occasion arises don't hesitate to use your
torch. All you have to do is to keep this way of retreat open. Leave
all the rest to us."

Then, still guided by the ex-footman, she disappeared with the four
men.

What was intended I could not guess. We had broken into one of the
most magnificent houses in Engla