?"

"I--like you, Cousin Emile," said she; then, in a voice that told him
she was blushing rosily, "and what name do you give to me?"

Roly's wits came to his rescue barely in time; with an air of deepest
tenderness, that was not all assumed, he said: "I haven't dared
acknowledge the name my heart has given you, even to myself. It is--"

"No, no!" she laughed, tremulously. "Call me Madelon."

"Madelon, Desire of my Dreams." He raised her hand to his lips. "Until
you give me leave to lift your mask I kiss these dimpled fingers."

It was plain that his boldness did not altogether displease her, for she
paused reluctantly upon the threshold. Her eyes were shining, although
her mask smiled at him vacuously as she said:

"You are a most unusual young man. You awaken something strange within
me. I cannot despise you as I should, for you have taken away my reason.
That is disturbing, is it not? Now, then, avail yourself of the
hospitality of the man who has robbed you. I shall return as fast as
ever my feet will bring me." She waved him a kiss and was gone.

He heard the front door close. Then he endeavored to piece out some
theory as to the cause of this situation, but the more he considered the
clues in his possession the more bewildered he became. One thing only
stood out with alarming certainty--his cousin Madelon had gone to fetch
a woman who loved him. So long as the adventure had concerned him only
with the masked girl herself he had been eager to continue it. Now that
it threatened to involve a second woman, he decided it was time to go.

She would return and find him gone. It would be a disappointment,
perhaps, but not so great as his own at parting from her and leaving
this mystery unsolved. He was somewhat proud of his exploits thus far,
for in an hour's time he had met and bested two of his enemies and had
changed a maiden's heart. No mean accomplishment for an idler! But why
did she feel that she ought to despise him? Why had she risked so much
for a man beloved by another? Why, under these circumstances, had she
welcomed his advances and promised him a sight of her face--a kiss,
perhaps? Above all, who were the Black Wolf, the Spider, and Cousin
Alfred? He gave up puzzling over the affair and determined to get out of
this stranger's house without delay.

It was evident that Cousin Alfred was a person of substance, for the
study was furnished in rich old Santo Domingo mahogany, blood-red and
flaming where