the doorway that led to the kitchen.

The hysterical woman stopped, struggling for breath. When she could
speak again she said fiercely:

"Who are you?"

"I--I"---- Phelan began.

"Tell me who you are or I'll have you arrested--I'll call the
police."

"Oh, for the love of hiven, don't call the police!" begged Phelan,
still backing toward the door.

"Then tell me what you are doing here."

"I'll answer no questions," cried Phelan. With a desperate backward
leap he gained the narrow doorway behind and vanished. He pulled the
door shut and clung to the knob, hearing the muffled demand hurled at
him:

"Here! Come back here! Helen! Helen! I want my niece! Oh, Helen, come
to auntie!"

Then Barnes and the other pretty ward of the distraught Mrs. Burton
entered the room. The young man had stopped Sadie in the hallway to
ask a few questions and endeavored to soothe the frightened girl. He
had taken possession of her hand again and still held it as he led her
to the door of the drawing room.

They did not attempt to enter until after the precipitate disappearance
of Michael Phelan. As Mrs. Burton stood looking helplessly at the closed
door, her ample bosom heaving and her breath coming in short
hysterical gasps, Barnes was whispering to Sadie:

"Ah, Miss Sadie, I can't tell you how overjoyed I am at seeing you
again. And so that's your auntie--fancy that chap refusing to meet
her! Why"----

That was as far as he got. Auntie suddenly wheeled round and caught
sight of him.

"Ah! Gladwin!" she screamed and made a rush for him.

With all his characteristic aplomb and insouciance Whitney Barnes was
unable to face such a rush with any degree of calmness.

"No! no! a mistake!" he retorted and sought to sidestep.

Mrs. Burton was too quick for him and seized his arm in an iron grip.

"Where is Helen? What have you done with her?" she demanded in the
same wild tones.

"I-I-I d-d-don't know," stammered Barnes.

"You have hidden her somewhere and you must give her up," stormed the
woman. "You're a scoundrel--you're a kidnapper--you're a wretch."

She flung Barnes from her with all her strength and he slammed against
the wall. She was about to charge upon him again when Sadie rushed
between them.

"Oh, auntie," she cried. "This is not Mr. Gladwin."

"Of course he isn't," chimed in Barnes, trying to shake himself
together again. "He isn't Mr. Gladwin at all."

"Then who are you?" cried Mrs. Burton.

"Oh, he's