whispered: "If that's not you there I can say
what I like, and there'll be some satisfaction in that. If you'll speak
now you may save yourself, but if you don't I've no reason to think it's
you, and so I can say----"

There was a sharply perceptible noise farther down the path toward the
Redding home. Barnes turned quickly and stood up straight, waiting.
Footsteps came rapidly along the path--no footsteps of hers, evidently. A
man's voice humming a tune grew momentarily plainer--then the voice
stopped humming and began to sing in a subdued but clear and fine
barytone:

"Down through the lane
Come I again
Seeking, my love, for you;
Run to me, dear,
Losing all fear,
Love and----"

The voice stopped. Two men's figures confronted each other in an extremely
narrow path. It was not too dark yet for each to be plainly recognisable
to the other.

"Hallo--that you, Lockwood?"

"Hi there, Roger Barnes; what you doing here? Fishing?"

"Looking for something I've lost."

"Getting pretty dark to find it. Something valuable?"

"Rather. Think I'll give it up for to-night."

"Too bad. Nice night." Lockwood was hastening toward the end of the path
which came out near Anthony's house. Barnes looked after him grimly.

"That voice of yours, young man," he thought, "handicaps me from the
start. Now, if I could just warble my emotions that way----"

He turned and peered again at the white place by the tree. He moved
stealthily toward it, and ascertained presently that it was not what it
seemed. He rose to his feet and walked rapidly down the path to the
Redding house. When he came in sight of it he saw that the kitchen windows
were lighted and that a man stood with his arm on the sill of one of them.
Silhouetted against the light were the familiar outlines of Stevens
Cathcart. As Barnes stood staring amazedly at this, a slender figure in
white came to the window, and in the stillness he could hear the quiet
voice:

"Please let me close the window, Mr. Cathcart. Thank you--no--and
good-night."

"'Three Men in a Boat,' by Rachel Redding," murmured the doctor to
himself, and slipped back to the willow path, from which he at length
emerged to join the group upon the porch--which then, it may be observed,
held for the first time that night its full complement of men.

Three big Chinese lan