him! They are fighting dreadfully!
They'll kill one another!"

Silbertown, the major-domo, came rushing in just then. Seeing the three
girls in their night-dresses he made as if to draw back, but Lady
Beltham called him in and demanded explanations.

"We had just finished our rounds," he answered breathlessly, "when we
caught sight of a man hiding in the shadows, a thief probably. When we
shouted to him he ran away, but we ran after him and seized him; he
resisted and there was a fight. But we have got him and the police will
take him away in a few minutes."

Lady Beltham listened, with jaw set and hands clenched.

"A thief?" she said, controlling her emotion. "How do you know he is a
thief?"

"Well," stammered the major-domo, "he is very poorly dressed, and
besides, what was he doing in the garden?"

Lady Beltham was recovering her calm.

"What excuse did he give for being there?" she asked coldly.

"We didn't give him time to invent one," said the major-domo. "We
collared him almost as soon as we saw him. And you know, madame, how
tremendously powerful Walter is: Walter gave him all he deserved!" and
the major-domo clenched his fists and made an expressive exhibition of
the porter's reception of the stranger.

Lisbeth was still overcome by what she had seen.

"Oh, the blood!" she muttered hysterically; "it was streaming!"

Lady Beltham spoke angrily to the major-domo.

"I hate brutality: is the man seriously hurt? I hope not. You ought to
have questioned him before assaulting him. No one in my house has a
right to use violence. 'Whoso smites with the sword shall perish by the
sword'!"

The major-domo heard her in silent astonishment: it was not at all what
he expected to be told, in view of all the circumstances.

Lady Beltham went on more gently:

"I suppose I shall have to apologise to this man for your wrong and
thoughtless behaviour."

"Apologise?" exclaimed Silbertown in amazement. "Surely your ladyship
will not do that?"

"One must not shrink from humiliation when one has been in the wrong,"
said Lady Beltham, in the pulpit manner she affected. "Tell Walter to
come to me."

A few minutes later the porter, a muscular giant of a man, came into the
room and made a clumsy bow.

"How was it possible for anyone to get into the house at this time of
night?" his mistress enquired coldly.

Walter dropped his eyes and twisted his cap nervously.

"I hope your ladyship will forgive me. I caught t