e the word unfinished.

Mr. Batholommey broke the slight pause.

"Young man," he said solemnly, "it might have been better if Mr. Grimm
had given _all_ he had to charity--for he left his money to an ingrate."

The "ingrate" laughed derisively.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" he cried. "You amuse one! You don't know how amusing you
are."

No one cared to add further to Frederik's amusement, so they all sat
still. The room was now perfectly dark, except for an occasional flash
of heat-lightning from the vanished storm.

Night had crept upon them unheeded, so intent had they been on their
petty wrangling.

Finally Mrs. Batholommey got up and went towards the desk.

"Where is the miniature?" she demanded. "I don't want it--but I'll take
it."

Frederik lighted a match, and by its flickering blaze found the
discarded miniature lying face downward on the desk. Mrs. Batholommey
snatched it from his fingers, and made her way back to the fireplace.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" laughed Frederik again.

"Rose, my dear," began Mr. Batholommey, "the min----"

"Sh!" interrupted Frederik.

There was a pause. Then he rose.

"Who came into the room?" he asked in a strange voice.

He lit a match and waved it slowly in the direction of the hall door. It
was extinguished instantly as if the wind had blown it out. He lighted
another, saying:

"We're sitting in the darkness like owls. Who came in?" he demanded
again.

There was no answer as he peered around the room, holding the match
toward first one corner and then another.

"I didn't hear any one," said the Colonel.

"Nor I," added Mrs. Batholommey.

"No," said Mr. Batholommey.

"I was _sure_ some one came in," Frederik said in a strange voice.

"You must have imagined it," suggested Mr. Batholommey. "Our nerves are
all upset."

"I'll get a light," Frederik said, starting toward the dining-room.

At that moment, Marta entered with the welcome lamps. She carried two of
them, one already lighted, which she put upon the table. The other
Frederik took quickly from her and carried to the chain-bracket over the
desk. This he adjusted with Marta's help, and then lighted.

After which he glanced apprehensively about the room once more. Even
under the reassuring flood of light his impression that some one had
stolen in upon the dim-lit conference would not wholly vanish.

CHAPTER XIII

THE RETURN

The Dead Man came home.

The old collie, lying stretched in the deep porch, safe from