be safe?"

"Perfectly--even without those precautions. I will hurry."

He stood an instant outside the door listening to the noise of the key
in the lock. Then he turned in the direction of the Yarebroughs', and
ran feverishly along the path.

His knock upon the door was answered by a sleepy "Who's that?" and the
click of a gun's hammer. Von Rittenheim explained his identity, and Bud
responded by opening the door an ungenerous crack. The Baron told his
necessity,--how his sister-in-law had arrived unexpectedly, and would
Mrs. Yarebrough be so good, so _very_ good, as to go back with him and
see if she could make her comfortable, and spend the rest of the night
there?

Bud shut the door, and Friedrich heard the sound of discussion.
Kindness of heart and curiosity to see the strange lady triumphed over
the claims of sleep, and Bud opened the door again to call through the
crevice,--

"She'll go, Mr. Baron."

It was almost midnight when they reached the cabin, Friedrich and the
whole Yarebrough family; for Sydney Melissa could not be left behind,
and Bud had a curiosity of his own. Von Rittenheim spoke in German and
the door was unlocked. He made a hasty explanation to Hilda concerning
the number of his escort.

Melissa stared with all her eyes at the childish beauty before her.

"Oh, Mr. Baron," she cried, with sudden courage, "Ah'd like to take
care of her, she's so little an' pretty. Ah don' min' hit a bit, Bud;
truly Ah'm honin' to," in unconscious confession of her previous
timidity. "You-all go long back with Bud, Mr. Baron, 'n Ah'll make her
comfortable. Will ye have yo' trunk in here, ma'am?"

To Hilda's answer, "Yes, if you please," in faltering English, Melissa
cried, in ecstasy,--

"Don' she speak pretty! Now, Bud, you tote in the lady's trunk, 'n then
go. She's tired." And the usually timid country girl entered into her
new _role_ of care-taker with extraordinary zest.

Friedrich approached his sister-in-law.

"Good-night," he said. "You will be quite safe. Have no fear."

She held out her hand to him. He hesitated a moment, and then took it
in a brief clasp.

"Good-night," was all she said.

Declining Bud's offer of shelter, von Rittenheim bade him farewell, and
strode into the darkness of the forest. Yarebrough looked after him,
puzzled and disapproving.

"He ain' none so glad to see his sister-in-law," he pondered. "Ah
wonner what hit all means."

Friedrich took no heed of his way beyo