s a
cat's face and eyes must seem to a hypnotized mouse.

I shook myself free from the hypnotic grip. Yet I would not let my gaze
waver. Grandmother wouldn't, and no Courtenaye should!

"Who is going to punish us?" barked the Gargoyle.

"The police," I barked back. And almost I could have laughed at the
difference in size and voice. I was so like a slim young Borzoi yapping
at the nose of a bloodhound.

"Rot!" snorted the big fellow. "Damn rot!" (and I thought I heard a
faint chuckle from the chair). "If the police were on to us, you
wouldn't be here. This is a try-on."

"You'll soon see whether it's a try-on or not," I defied him. "As a
matter of fact, out of pity for your two poor old dupes, we haven't told
the police yet of what we've found out. I say 'we,' for I'm far from
being alone or unprotected. I came to speak with Mrs. Barlow because she
and her husband once served my family, and were honest till you tempted
them. But if I'm kept here more than the fifteen minutes I specified,
there is a man who----"

"There isn't," snapped the Gargoyle. "There was, but there isn't now. My
brother Bob and me was out in our boat. I don't mind tellin' you, as you
know so much, that we've spent quite a lot of time beatin' and prowlin'
around these shores since the big storm." (The thought flashed through
my brain: "Then they haven't read about the _Naiad_! Or else they didn't
guess that the coffin was the same. That's _one_ good thing! They can
never blackmail Roger, whatever happens to me!") But I didn't speak. I
let him pause for a second, and go on without interruption. "Comin' home
we seen that car o' yourn outside our gate. Thought it was queer! Bob
says to me, 'Hank, go on up to the house, and make me a sign from behind
the big tree if there's anythin' wrong.' The feller in the car hadn't
seen or heard us. We took care o' that! I slid off my shoes before I got
to the door here, and listened a bit to your words o' wisdom. Then I
slipped out as fur as the tree, and I made the sign. Hank didn't tell me
what he meant to do. But I'm some on mind readin'. I guess that
gentleman friend of yourn has gone to sleep in his automobile, as any
one might in this quiet neighbourhood, where folks don't pass once in
four or five hours. Bob can drive most makes of cars. Shouldn't wonder
if he can manage this one. If you hear the engine tune up, you'll know
it's him takin' the chauffeur down to the sea."

My bones felt like icicles;