has happened to Fred!" he said.
"You go back to the car. Send your brother here on the run. Tell him
there's going to be a rough-house. You're not afraid to go?"

"No," said the girl.

A shadow blacker than the night rose suddenly before them, and a voice
asked sternly but quietly: "What are you doing here?"

The young man lifted his arm clear of the girl, and shoved her quickly
from him. In his hand she felt the pressure of the revolver.

"Well," he replied truculently, "and what are you doing here?"

"I am the night watchman," answered the voice. "Who are you?"

It struck Miss Forbes if the watchman knew that one of the trespassers
was a woman he would be at once reassured, and she broke in quickly:

"We have lost our way," she said pleasantly. "We came here----"

She found herself staring blindly down a shaft of light. For an
instant the torch held her, and then from her swept over the young man.

"Drop that gun!" cried the voice. It was no longer the same voice; it
was now savage and snarling. For answer the young man pressed the
torch in his left hand, and, held in the two circles of light, the men
surveyed each other. The newcomer was one of unusual bulk and height.
The collar of his overcoat hid his mouth, and his derby hat was drawn
down over his forehead, but what they saw showed an intelligent, strong
face, although for the moment it wore a menacing scowl. The young man
dropped his revolver into his pocket.

"My automobile ran dry," he said; "we came in here to get some water.
My chauffeur is back there somewhere with a couple of buckets. This is
Mr. Carey's place, isn't it?"

"Take that light out of my eyes!" said the watchman.

"Take your light out of my eyes," returned the young man. "You can see
we're not--we don't mean any harm."

The two lights disappeared simultaneously, and then each, as though
worked by the same hand, sprang forth again.

"What did you think I was going to do?" the young man asked. He
laughed and switched off his torch.

But the one the watchman held in his hand still moved from the face of
the girl to that of the young man.

"How'd you know this was the Carey house?" he demanded. "Do you know
Mr. Carey?"

"No, but I know this is his house." For a moment from behind his mask
of light the watchman surveyed them in silence. Then he spoke quickly:

"I'll take you to him," he said, "if he thinks it's all right, it's all
right."

The girl gave a pro