seemed he, Peggy? Suspicious?"

"He was greatly dissatisfied," returned Peggy, a troubled look
clouding her eyes. "He said that some member of the family must have
helped in the escape, though father insisted that it could not be. And
oh! I met him as I was coming here."

"Who? The sheriff?" questioned Clifford startled.

"Yes; he was going to our house, I think. At least I saw him turn
into Chestnut Street."

"Did he turn to watch you, Peggy?" inquired her cousin with some
anxiety.

"Why no; why should he?" asked she simply.

"Because----" he began, when a loud peal of the knocker brought the
remark to an abrupt stop.

Sally arose with precipitancy.

"Mother is busy in the kitchen," she said. "'Twill be best for me to
see who it is. I don't believe that 'tis any one who will wish to come
up here, but if it should be thy cousin must run for the closet,
Peggy. I will leave the door ajar, and should I be saying anything
when I come to the stairway thee will know that 'tis some one who
insists upon coming up."

The two cousins sat in silence as Sally went down-stairs, fearful of
what the visit might portend. Peggy was openly anxious, and Clifford,
too, seemed uneasy. The murmur of voices could be heard, and while the
words could not be distinguished it seemed to Peggy that the tones
were those of command. A slight commotion followed as though several
persons had entered the dwelling, and presently the stairway door
opened and closed quickly.

"Peggy!" came in a shrill whisper from the foot of the stairs. Peggy
was out of the chamber and at the head of the stairs in an instant.
Sally stood below, and though the stairway was so dimly lighted that
Peggy could scarcely distinguish the outlines of her form, she knew
that her friend was greatly excited. She was telling her something in
so low a tone that Peggy could hardly hear what it was, but she
gathered enough to send her flying back to her cousin.

"'Tis the sheriff," she cried. "Get into the closet, quick."

Clifford Owen stayed not for a second bidding. He darted into the
closet back of the great tester bed, and the door of the concealed
room clicked softly. In anticipation of such an emergency the shelves
had been removed, and Peggy now replaced them. Hurriedly she tossed
some piles of linen on them, and then resumed her seat before the
fire. She had barely done so when the door opened, and Sally,
followed by Sheriff Will and two of his men, appeared on t