e people who bought it a little while ago."

"Yes, a Mr. and Mrs. Richards," said Charlie. "But from what Bessie here
says, he seems to be doing about as he likes with it. Well, I don't want
to waste any more time. Do you suppose I can see Colonel Hart!"

"You can unless your eyesight is failing," said the Colonel, appearing
in the doorway. He had heard the question, and came forward smiling, his
hand outstretched. "How are you, Jamieson? What can I do for you?"

"A great deal, if you will, Colonel," said Charlie. "I'd like to speak
to you privately for a minute, if I may--"

"Shabby business--that's what I call it," said one of the young
officers. "He knows we're wild to know what's going on, and there he
goes off with the old man to tell him about it where we can't hear."

Then one of them happened to think that Bessie might be in need of
refreshment after her exciting experiences, and they waited on her as if
she had been a princess. By the time she had been able to convince them
that she wanted nothing more, Jamieson and the Colonel returned.

"All right, my boy," the colonel was saying. "I'll attend to it, and do
as you wish. Maybe it isn't strictly according to the regulations, but I
don't believe anyone will ever file charges against me. Depend upon me.
You're starting now!"

"Yes," said Jamieson. "Come along, Bessie. We're going back to the
house."

"I'm ready," said Bessie, simply.

"You're not afraid?"

"Not as long as you're there. I don't believe Mr. Holmes can do anything
while you're around."

"Well, I hope he can't, Bessie. But when they had managed to get away as
you did to-night, a whole lot of girls wouldn't be in a hurry to run
into the same danger again."

"I wouldn't be very happy about getting away myself unless Zara escaped,
too, Mr. Jamieson. And I'm afraid of Mr. Holmes--I don't know what he
might do if he were angry enough. I wouldn't be sure that Dolly and Miss
Eleanor were safe with him."

"Well, they are, Bessie. Of course, what I'm planning may go wrong, but
I feel pretty confident that we are going to give Mr. Holmes the
surprise of his life this night."

They walked on steadily through the darkness, the going of course being
much easier than Bessie had found it in her flight, since she now had a
good road under her feet instead of the stumpy wood path, full of
twisted roots and unexpected bumps.

And at last a light showed through the trees to one side of the road,
and