wavering shadows, as if some one with a lamp was moving around. I had
come almost silently in my evening slippers, and I had my second
collision of the evening on the road just above the house. I ran full
into a man in a long coat, who was standing in the shadow beside the
drive, with his back to me, watching the lighted windows.

"What the hell!" he ejaculated furiously, and turned around. When he
saw me, however, he did not wait for any retort on my part. He faded
away--this is not slang; he did--he absolutely disappeared in the dusk
without my getting more than a glimpse of his face. I had a vague
impression of unfamiliar features and of a sort of cap with a visor.
Then he was gone.

I went to the lodge and rapped. It required two or three poundings to
bring Thomas to the door, and he opened it only an inch or so.

"Where is Warner?" I asked.

"I--I think he's in bed, ma'm."

"Get him up," I said, "and for goodness' sake open the door, Thomas.
I'll wait for Warner."

"It's kind o' close in here, ma'm," he said, obeying gingerly, and
disclosing a cool and comfortable looking interior. "Perhaps you'd
keer to set on the porch an' rest yo'self."

It was so evident that Thomas did not want me inside that I went in.

"Tell Warner he is needed in a hurry," I repeated, and turned into the
little sitting-room. I could hear Thomas going up the stairs, could
hear him rouse Warner, and the steps of the chauffeur as he hurriedly
dressed. But my attention was busy with the room below.

On the center-table, open, was a sealskin traveling bag. It was filled
with gold-topped bottles and brushes, and it breathed opulence, luxury,
femininity from every inch of surface. How did it get there? I was
still asking myself the question when Warner came running down the
stairs and into the room. He was completely but somewhat incongruously
dressed, and his open, boyish face looked abashed. He was a country
boy, absolutely frank and reliable, of fair education and
intelligence--one of the small army of American youths who turn a
natural aptitude for mechanics into the special field of the
automobile, and earn good salaries in a congenial occupation.

"What is it, Miss Innes?" he asked anxiously.

"There is some one locked in the laundry," I replied. "Mr. Jamieson
wants you to help him break the lock. Warner, whose bag is this?"

He was in the doorway by this time, and he pretended not to hear.

"Warner," I called,