y back.
All that walk for nothing. Perhaps the master was upstairs in his room.
"Not well-dressed enough for the drawing-room." Well, now, Auntie, would
you like anyone in your drawing-room with a red handkerchief round his
neck and great big dusty boots, and--listen! One of the men shooting
rabbits. Auntie was partial to a nice rabbit, and onion sauce. How hot
it was; she wouldn't say no to a cup of tea. Well, one thing, Mr. Robert
wasn't staying the night; he hadn't any luggage. Of course Mr. Mark
could lend him things; he had clothes enough for six. She would have
known him anywhere for Mr. Mark's brother.

She came into the house. As she passed the housekeeper's room on her
way to the hall, the door opened suddenly, and a rather frightened face
looked out.

"Hallo, Aud," said Elsie. "It's Audrey," she said, turning into the
room.

"Come in, Audrey," called Mrs. Stevens.

"What's up?" said Audrey, looking in at the door.

"Oh, my dear, you gave me such a turn. Where have you been?"

"Up to the Temple."

"Did you hear anything?"

"Hear what?"

"Bangs and explosions and terrible things."

"Oh!" said Audrey, rather relieved. "One of the men shooting rabbits.
Why, I said to myself as I came along, 'Auntie's partial to a nice
rabbit,' I said, and I shouldn't be surprised if--"

"Rabbits!" said her aunt scornfully. "It was inside the house, my girl."

"Straight it was," said Elsie. She was one of the housemaids. "I said to
Mrs. Stevens--didn't I, Mrs. Stevens?--'That was in the house,' I said."

Audrey looked at her aunt and then at Elsie.

"Do you think he had a revolver with him?" she said in a hushed voice.

"Who?" said Elsie excitedly.

"That brother of his. From Australia. I said as soon as I set eyes on
him, 'You're a bad lot, my man!' That's what I said, Elsie. Even before
he spoke to me. Rude!" She turned to her aunt. "Well, I give you my
word."

"If you remember, Audrey, I always said there was no saying with anyone
from Australia." Mrs. Stevens lay back in her chair, breathing rather
rapidly. "I wouldn't go out of this room now, not if you paid me a
hundred thousand pounds."

"Oh, Mrs. Stevens!" said Elsie, who badly wanted five shillings for a
new pair of shoes, "I wouldn't go as far as that, not myself, but--"

"There!" cried Mrs. Stevens, sitting up with a start. They listened
anxiously, the two girls instinctively coming closer to the older
woman's chair.

A door was being shaken, k