By degrees the events of the past night forced
themselves upon his benumbed faculties, and he sat up. The sun was
riding high; the door of the cabin was open. Stretching himself, he
staggered to his feet, and looked in through the yawning crack at the
hinges. He rubbed his eyes again. Was he still asleep, and followed by
a dream of yesterday? For there, even in the very attitude he remembered
to have seen her sitting at her luncheon on the previous day, with her
knitting on her lap, sat Mrs. Sol Saunders! What did it mean? or had she
really been sitting there ever since, and all the events that followed
only a dream?

A hand was laid upon his arm; and, turning, he saw the murky black eyes
and Indian-inked beard of Sol beside him. That gentleman put his finger
on his lips with a theatrical gesture, and then, slowly retreating in
the well-known manner of the buried Majesty of Denmark, waved him, like
another Hamlet, to a remoter part of the ledge. This reached, he grasped
Rand warmly by the hand, shook it heartily, and said, "It's all right,
my boy; all right!"

"But--" began Rand. The hot blood flowed to his cheeks: he stammered,
and stopped short.

"It's all right, I say! Don't you mind! We'll pull you through."

"But, Mrs. Sol! what does she--"

"Rosey has taken the matter in hand, sir; and when that woman takes a
matter in hand, whether it's a baby or a rehearsal, sir, she makes it
buzz."

"But how did she know?" stammered Rand.

"How? Well, sir, the scene opened something like this," said Sol
professionally. "Curtain rises on me and Mrs. Sol. Domestic
interior: practicable chairs, table, books, newspapers. Enter Dr.
Duchesne,--eccentric character part, very popular with the
boys,--tells off-hand affecting story of strange woman--one 'more
unfortunate'--having baby in Eagle's Nest, lonely place on 'peaks
of Snowdon,' midnight; eagles screaming, you know, and far down
unfathomable depths; only attendant, cold-blooded ruffian, evidently
father of child, with sinister designs on child and mother."

"He didn't say THAT!" said Rand, with an agonized smile.

"Order! Sit down in front!" continued Sol easily. "Mrs. Sol--highly
interested, a mother herself--demands name of place. 'Table Mountain.'
No; it cannot be--it is! Excitement. Mystery! Rosey rises to
occasion--comes to front: 'Some one must go; I--I--will go myself!'
Myself, coming to center: 'Not alone, dearest; I--I will accompany you!'
A shriek at right