-hand corner drawer,
where he kept his collars and handkerchiefs, and took out a small
revolver. As he handled the stock he felt his new manhood glowing like
champagne in every artery. Life! He had begun to live.

How did it happen that a harmless churchwarden and retired cashier
possessed so lethal a weapon? Simply, it was due to a mixture of
precaution and romanticism. He had always thought a burglar _might_
come, and deep in his composition lay a vein of adventure. It was fine
to have a pistol--a loaded pistol--even though never used. It gave a
sense of power and desperation. He sometimes fondled it and dreamed of
defending himself against a marauder or a mob. But such demonstrations
took place only when his wife was out.

Robert took the pistol in an unshaking hand and conveyed himself quietly
from the room. He was not in the least frightened now; indeed he was
beginning to enjoy this new sense of being master of the situation.
Quietly he crept down-stairs, as close to the wall as possible to
prevent creaking. At the foot of the stairs he stood still and
listened.... There was no sound. But from the keyhole of the
drawing-room came a little pencil of light. Behind the door was--what?
Robert cocked the pistol, opened the door, and with a little gasp of
triumph said, "Hands up!"

CHAPTER VIII

A TALE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

There were two people in the room as Mr. Hedderwick opened the door, a
man and a lady. The latter, he noted with amazement, was in evening
dress, a light cloak being thrown over it; the former wore the ordinary
morning dress of a man about town, neat, though a little shiny, and on
his head was a top hat. At Robert's command he turned with a violent
start: the lady started, too, but in a moment recovered her composure
and laughed. "Good morning," she said cheerfully: "I can't say this is
an unexpected pleasure, for that would be only a half-truth. And now,
what are you going to do?"

Robert, considerably taken aback at the character of his prisoners and
his own reception, paused a moment before replying. He was breathing a
little noisily from pure excitement, but still he was careful to keep
the pistol at a threatening angle.

"Well," he said slowly, "in the first place I warn you that I shall
shoot if you move----"

"Of course," she agreed brightly, "that would be the most sensible thing
to do. But we have no intention of being so foolish. It seems that you
hold the whip-hand, so--