t was moonless but clear. A faint light pervaded the scene.

Barney sat staring straight ahead, but his gaze did not stop upon
the familiar objects of the foreground. Instead it spanned two
continents and an ocean to rest upon the little spot of woodland and
rugged mountain and lowland that is Lutha. It was with an effort
that the man suddenly focused his attention upon that which lay
directly before him. A shadow among the trees had moved!

Barney Custer sat perfectly still, but now he was suddenly alert and
watchful. Again the shadow moved where no shadow should be moving.
It crossed from the shade of one tree to another. Barney came
cautiously to his feet. Silently he entered the house, running
quickly to a side door that opened upon the grounds. As he drew it
back its hinges gave forth no sound. Barney looked toward the spot
where he had seen the shadow. Again he saw it scuttle hurriedly
beneath another tree nearer the house. This time there was no doubt.
It was a man!

Directly before the door where Barney stood was a pergola,
ivy-covered. Behind this he slid, and, running its length, came out
among the trees behind the night prowler. Now he saw him distinctly.
The fellow was bearded, and in his right hand he carried a package.
Instantly Barney recalled Butzow's comment upon the destruction of
the mill--"if it WAS lightning!"

Cold sweat broke from every pore of his body. His mother and father
were there in the house, and Vic--all sleeping peacefully. He ran
quickly toward the menacing figure, and as he did so he saw the
other halt behind a great tree and strike a match. In the glow of
the flame he saw it touch close to the package that the fellow held,
and then he was upon him.

There was a brief and terrific struggle. The stranger hurled the
package toward the house. Barney caught him by the throat, beating
him heavily in the face; and then, realizing what the package was,
he hurled the fellow from him, and sprang toward the hissing and
sputtering missile where it lay close to the foundation wall of the
house, though in the instant of his close contact with the man he
had recognized through the disguising beard the features of Captain
Ernst Maenck, the principal tool of Peter of Blentz.

Quick though Barney was to reach the bomb and extinguish the fuse,
Maenck had disappeared before he returned to search for him; and,
though he roused the gardener and chauffeur and took turns with them
in standing guard