a prisoner, then. For a time her mind was in such a whirl that
she was unable to form a plan.

She put her hand to her head.

"I must try to sleep if I can in this hideous place. Then to-morrow I
may be able to think."

Locking the door, she drew the bureau against it; then she undressed and
fell into bed. Her youth and exhaustion did the rest. She slept until
morning.

CHAPTER VI

The Dwarf

"You, Pete," said his master, approaching the pump where the boy was
performing his morning ablutions, "what was the noise I heard in Miss
Melody's room last night?"

"Dunno," sullenly.

"Well, you'd better know. I'll skin you alive if anything happens to
her."

"How--how could I help it if she jumps out the winder?"

Carder smiled. "You're thinkin' of somebody else. _She_ went to the
hospital. If Miss Melody hurts herself, we'll keep her here. She won't
do that, though, and I hold you accountable for anything else she does.
Night and day, remember. You've got to know where she is all the time.
You understand?"

The dwarf grunted and combed his thick, tousled hair with his fingers.

"Watch yourself now. You'll pay if anything goes wrong. What was that
noise I heard? Out with it!"

The dwarf grunted his reply. "She moved the furniture ag'in' the door, I
guess."

"Oh, that was it."

Rufus laughed and turned toward the house.

The hired men had had their breakfast and gone to the fields and the
drudge in the kitchen was prepared for the arrival of her son and his
guest.

Geraldine came downstairs fresh from sleep and such a cold bath as was
obtainable from the contents of a crockery pitcher. Rufus's eyes
glittered as he beheld her.

"Well, my little--I mean my lady, you look wonderful. I guess there was
some sleep in the little old bed after all; but you shall have down to
sleep on if you want it."

Geraldine regarded him.

"I don't see how you expected I could sleep when you let a dog lie
outside my door, a dog with the nightmare, I should judge, snoring and
snorting. Be sure he is not there to-night. He frightened me."

"Too bad, too bad," returned Rufus; "but you see you slept, or you
couldn't look like a fresh rosebud as you do this morning; and you'll
get used to good old Sport. He's a splendid watchdog."

Geraldine turned to her hostess.

"I don't know what your hours are, Mrs. Carder--whether five, or six, or
seven is over-sleeping, but I'm ashamed not to have been down here to
help you