of the bed, with a blanket spread over his knees, and was telling
him about Miss Cobb.

"Miss Cobb!" he said. "Oh, heavens, Minnie, tell her to go back to bed!"
He yawned. "If there's anybody there it's a mistake. I'm sleepy. What
time is it?"

"I'm not going out of this room until you get up!" I declared grimly.

"Oh, very well!" he said, and put his feet back into bed. "If you think
I'm going to get up while you're here--"

After he seemed pretty well wakened I went out. I waited in the
sitting-room and I heard him growling as he put on his clothes. When he
came out, however, he was more cheerful, and he stopped in the hall to
fish a case out of Mr. Sam's dressing-gown pocket and light a cigarette.

"Now!" he said, taking my arm. "Forward, the light-ly clad brigade!
But--" he stopped--"Minnie, we are unarmed! Shall I get the patent
folding corkscrew?"

He had to be quiet when we got to the bedroom floors, however, and when
we stopped outside Miss Cobb's door he was as sober as any one could
wish him.

"You needn't come in," he whispered. "Ten to one she dreamed it, but if
she didn't you're better outside. And whatever you hear, don't yell."

I gave him the key and he fitted it quietly in the lock. Arabella, just
inside, must have heard, for she snarled. But the snarl turned into a
yelp, as if she'd been suddenly kicked.

Mr. Pierce, with his hand on the knob, turned and looked at me in the
candle-light. Then he opened the door.

Arabella gave another yelp and rushed out; she went between my feet
like a shot and almost overthrew me, and when I'd got my balance again I
looked into the room. Mr. Pierce was at the window, staring out, and the
room was empty.

"The idiot!" Mr. Pierce said. "If it hadn't been for that snowbank!
Here, give me that candle!"

He stood there waving it in circles, but there was neither sight nor
sound from below. After a minute Mr. Pierce put the window down and we
stared at the room. All the bureau drawers were out on the floor, and
the lid of poor Miss Cobb's trunk was open and the tray upset. But her
silver-backed brush was still on the bureau and the ring the insurance
agent had given her lay beside it.

We brought her back to her room, and she didn't know whether to be happy
that she was vindicated or mad at the state her things were in. I tucked
her up in bed after she'd gone over her belongings and Mr. Pierce had
double-locked the window and gone out. She drew my head down