' they can't possibly get to our place 'fore
'leven."

"Lead the way!" ordered Hutton, cramming himself into his coat and hat.

"Better slide down on the other side," whispered Bi as they reached the
platform. "We kin go back round the train an' nobody'll notice."

As if they were only come out to see what was the matter they idled
along the length of the train around out of sight, slid down the bank,
took a shortcut across a meadow to a road, and were soon well on their
way to Fox Glove in the early cool of the spring morning, a strangely
mated couple bent on mischief.

Back on the cinder track the express waited, dreamily indifferent, with
a flagman ahead and behind to guard its safety, and while men slept the
enemy took wings and flew down the white morning road to Tinsdale, but
no one ran ahead with a little red flag to the gray cottage where slept
Betty, to warn her, though perchance an angel with a flaming sword stood
invisibly to guard the way.

CHAPTER XVII

BOB had just finished feeding the chickens when the automobile drew up
at the door, and he hurried around the house to see who it might be. He
was rather looking for the return of that nice lawyer again. He felt the
family expected him some time soon. Perhaps he would be to breakfast and
mother would want some fresh eggs.

They had dropped Bi at the edge of the village and there were only
Hutton and the driver who had brought them. Bi had no mind to get mixed
up in this affair too openly. He valued his standing in his home town,
and did not wish to lose it. He had an instinct that what he was doing
might make him unpopular if it became known. Besides, he had another ax
to grind.

Bob did not like the looks of the strange dark man who got out of the
car and came into the yard with the air of a thrashing machine bolting
into whatever came in his way. He stood sturdily and waited until he was
asked who lived there, and admitted with a stingy "yes" that it was Mrs.
Carson's house. A thundering knock on the front door followed, and the
other man in the car got out and came into the yard behind the first.

"Well, you needn't take the door down," snapped Bob, and scuttled around
the house to warn his mother, aware that he had been rude, and glad of
it.

It was Betty who came to the door, for Ma was frying bacon and eggs for
breakfast, and Bob hadn't been quite soon enough. She started back with
a scream, and eluding the hand that reached for her