t you
please come in? I think you were perfectly splendid! I want my aunt to
meet you, and we all want to thank you."

"Oh, I didn't do anything," said the stranger, turning as if to go.
"It was you who saved his life. I got there just in time to watch you.
You're some shot, I'll tell the world. I sure am proud to meet you. I
didn't know any girl could shoot like that."

"Oh, that's nothing!" laughed Leslie. "Our guardian made us both
learn. Please come in."

"Yes, we want to know you," urged Allison. "Come in. We can't let you
go like that."

"It's very late," urged the young man.

But Allison put out a firm arm, and pulled him in, shutting the door
behind him.

"Cloudy," he said, turning to his aunt, "this man came in the nick of
time, and saved me just as I was getting woosey. That fellow sure had
a grip on my throat, and something had hit my head and taken away all
the sense I had, so I couldn't seem to get him off."

"That's all right. I noticed you were holding your own," put in the
stranger. "It isn't every man would have tackled two unknown burglars
alone." He spoke in a voice of deep admiration.

"Well, I noticed you were the only man on the spot till the parade was
about over," said Allison, slapping him heartily on the shoulder.
"Say, I think I've seen you before riding that motor-cycle; tell me
your name, please. I want to know you next time I see you."

"Thanks, I'm not much to know, but I have an idea you are. My name's
Howard Letchworth. I have a room over the garage, and take my meals at
the pie-shop. My motor-cycle is all the family I have at present."

Allison laughed, and held out his hand with a warm grip of admiration.

"I'm Allison Cloud; and this is my sister, Leslie Cloud, and my aunt,
Miss Cloud; and this house we call Cloudy Villa. You'll always be
welcome whenever you are willing to come. You've saved my life and
brought back my sister's pearls, and put us doubly in your debt. I'm
sure no one in this town has a better right to be welcome here. Please
sit down a minute, and tell us who you are. You don't belong to the
church bunch, and I don't think I've seen you about the college."

"No," said Letchworth, "not this year. I'm a laboring man. I work over
at the ship-building plant. If everything goes well with me this
winter, I may get back to college next fall. I was a junior last year,
but I couldn't quite make the financial part; so I had to go to work
again."

There was a de