move and were buying what was needed in the South--quinine, of course.
But what had been their errand? He said, "Get some supper and come back
soon."

Then he sat down to think. An engineer of competence lately back from
Europe! His errand--their errand--must be of moment. He took a small
revolver out of a drawer, put in shells, placed it in his breast pocket,
and secured a box of matches. About nine, in a summer thunder-shower of
wind and rain, he followed Josiah and walked to No. 229 Sixteenth Street.
As he stood he asked,

"How did those men get in, Josiah?"

"All had keys. Want to get in, Colonel?"

"Yes, I want to get in. Are there any others in the house--servants--any
one?"

"No, sir," Josiah said. "I went round to an alley at the back of the
house. There are lights on the second storey. You can get in easy at the
back, sir."

Seeing a policeman on the opposite pavement, Penhallow at once changed
his plan of entrance, and crossing the street said to the policeman, "Is
this your beat?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very good! You see I am in uniform. Here is my card. I am on duty at the
War Department. Here is my general pass from the Provost-marshal General.
Come to the gas lamp and read it. Here are ten dollars. I have to get
into No. 229 on Government business. If I do not come out in thirty
minutes, give the alarm, call others and go in. Who lives there?"

"It is a gambling house--or was--not now."

"Very good. This is my servant, Josiah. If I get out safely, come to
Willard's to-morrow at nine--use my card--ask for me--and you will not be
sorry to have helped me."

"You want to get in!"

"Yes."

"No use to ring, sir," said Josiah. "There ain't any servants and the
gentlemen, they ate outside. Lord, how it rains!"

The policeman hesitated. Another ten dollar note changed owners. "Well,
it isn't police duty--and you're not a burglar--"

The Colonel laughed. "If I were, I'd have been in that house without your
aid."

"Well, yes, sir. Burglars don't usually take the police into their
confidence. There are no lights except in the second storey. If your
man's not afraid and it's an honest Government job, let him go through
that side alley, get over the fence--I'll help him--and either through a
window or by the cellar he can get in and open the front door for you."

Josiah laughed low laughter as he crossed the street with the officer and
was lost to view. The Colonel waited at the door. In a few minutes th