ash, a fact which startled and disconcerted him
not a little. Her very eagerness augured ill for his proposition. Still,
he was in for it; he was determined to get inside the hut and solve the
mystery, if it were possible. Exposure of the Witch would at least
attract the interest if not the approval of a certain young lady in
purple and fine linen. That was surely worth while.

With a low, mocking bow, the shrivelled hag stood aside and motioned for
him to precede her into the hovel. He looked back at Mr. Hobbs. That
gentleman's eyes seemed to be starting from his head.

"A hundred gavvos is a fortune not easily to be won," said the old dame.
"How can I be sure that you will pay me if you lose?"

"It is in my pocket, madam. If I don't pay, you may instruct your
excellent grandson to crack me over the head. He looks as though he'd do
it for a good deal less money, I'll say that for him."

"He is honest--as honest as his grandmother," cried the old woman. She
bestowed a toothless grin upon him. "Now what is it you want to do?"

They were standing in the centre of the wretched living-room. The
goose-boy was in the door, looking on with strangely alert, questioning
eyes, ever and anon peering over his shoulder toward the spot where
Hobbs stood with the horses. He seldom took his gaze from the face of
the old woman, a rat-like smile touching the corners of his fuzz-lined
lips.

"I want to go through that kitchen, just to satisfy myself of one or two
things." King was looking hard at the crack in the kitchen door.
Suddenly he started as if shot.

The staring, burning eye was again looking straight at him from the
jagged crack in the door!

"I'll get you this time," he shouted, crossing the room in two eager
leaps. The door responded instantly to his violent clutch, swung open
with a bang, and disclosed the interior of the queer little kitchen.

The owner of that mocking, phantom eye was gone!

Like a frantic dog, Truxton dashed about the little kitchen, looking in
every corner, every crack for signs of the thing he chased. At last he
paused, baffled, mystified. The old woman was standing in the middle of
the outer room, grinning at him with what was meant for complacency, but
which struck him at once as genuine malevolence.

"Ha, ha!" she croaked. "You fool! You fool! Search! Smell him out! All
the good it will do you! Ha, ha!"

"By gad, I _will_ get at the bottom of this!" shouted Truxton, stubborn
rage possess