knew him. She had known him ever since his coming to the Valley five
years before.

She had marked with childlike wonder--as others had done--his meteoric
progress in wealth and power. He was a man, disliked by some, feared
by many, and obeyed by all; a land-owner; a cattle breeder; a grain
dealer; a giant in body as well as will; and--the new Mayor of
Vernock.

The other men were strangers to the girl.

All three walked straight through to the kitchen. The one nearest to
Eileen addressed her.

"Sorry miss, for intrudin' so late, 'specially as we hear your dad's
at Enderby and you're all alone to-night. But we're after a man--a
convict--escaped from Ukalla jail. Saw your light! Thought we saw
your door open!"

He peered about suspiciously. "Didn't see anything of him--did you?"

Eileen looked away from the ferrety eyes that searched hers.

"I was just going to bed," she answered nervously. "I--I fancied I
heard voices and a shot."

"Wasn't any fancy, miss!"

"I--I opened the door and looked out, but didn't hear anything more,
so I closed the door again."

"Hum!" put in her interlocutor, rubbing his chin. "You didn't see any
signs of our man when you looked out?"

Eileen shivered, for she did not know how much these men knew or how
much they had really seen.

"Yes or no, miss!" he snapped.

"No!--most certainly, no!" Eileen shot back at him in defiance. "How
dare you talk to me in that way!"

Tears of vexation sprang to her eyes; vexation that she should have
had to lie, although it was forced upon her unless she meant to betray
the man who had trusted himself to her safe-keeping.

"Easy, officer;--easy! Miss Pederstone is all right," put in the man
with the rifle. "What she says you can bank on."

"Oh, pshaw!--you don't have to teach me my business," retorted the
detective.

"Maybe not; but you can stand some teaching in manners," returned the
other.

"See here, sir!" came the quick answer, "if you don't like this, you
had better get down the hill and home. You village mayors give me a
pain."

The man with the rifle bit his lip and remained silent.

"You don't mind me having a look round, miss?" inquired the officer a
little bit less brusquely, but starting in to search without waiting
for her permission.

He threw open the cupboards and the closets. He examined every room in
the house. He even went into Eileen's bedroom. She followed him there,
carrying the lamp. He looked into her bed and