e path
when two men came round the corner of the house and bore down upon her.

Harrison Smith was too good a strategist to announce his arrival by
driving up to the front door. He had left the Ford at the end of the
lane and entered the grounds by way of the kitchen garden. At the
sight of Flora he bowed very politely, greeting her with a charming
smile and an allusion to the clemency of the evening. It is possible
these social amenities might have carried some weight but for the
appearance of Freddie Dirk, whose heavy jowl, grimed with dust and
perspiration, was not consistent with the idea of an afternoon caller.
Flora fell back a pace into the room, wondering fearfully what course
she should pursue.

"Don't be frightened, my girl, don't be frightened," Harrison Smith
agreeably beseeched.

"Who are you? I don't know you," said Flora.

"We're friends of your master's, of course."

"That's it," said Dirk, huskily. "Pals of 'is, see!"

The tone was hardly convincing.

"My master is away, and has been away for some weeks."

"Yes, yes, yes, to be sure. But he's come back."

"No," said Flora.

"Look 'ere, girl,"--Dirk's fat, short-fingered paw fell on her
shoulders--"we ain't soft--do you get me? We knows what we're torkin'
abaht. Mister Barraclough is 'ere and the sooner----"

"Tut, tut, tut," Harrison Smith interrupted. "Don't talk like that,
Dirk--you're scaring the girl. Now listen to me. Your Master has
enemies, we're his friends. It is of the utmost importance we should
see him at once." He moved away and opened the door of Mrs.
Barraclough's bedroom. "As a matter of fact his life depends upon it."

"Yus--'is life," Dirk echoed.

"I tell you my master is not here."

"Isn't 'e--isn't 'e." Dirk's two hands fastened on Flora's wrist and
twisted the flesh in contrary directions, a domestic form of torture
known to the initiated as the Burning Bracelet.

"Let go, you brute--let go," she cried, and with her free hand caught
him a full swinging slap across the face.

What particular line Dirk's resentment would have taken is unknown, for
Harrison Smith came quickly between them with a muttered order and at
the same time the door opened and Jane ran in. It speaks well for her
courage that she did not cry out or betray alarm.

"Jane," gasped Flora very quickly, "these men want to see master--I've
told them he isn't here----"

"Quiet you," said Dirk threateningly, while Harrison Smith des