in an appearance, nor
was there any answer to the ring. The house seemed unusually quiet. It
was a brooding silence, which presently broke to the sound of footsteps
on the porch. Madeline recognized Stillwell's tread, though it appeared
to be light for him. Then she heard him call softly in at the open
door of her office. The suggestion of caution in his voice suited the
strangeness of his walk. With a boding sense of trouble she hurried
through the rooms. He was standing outside her office door.

"Stillwell!" she exclaimed.

"Anybody with you?" he asked, in a low tone.

"No."

"Please come out on the porch," he added.

She complied, and, once out, was enabled to see him. His grave face,
paler than she had ever beheld it, caused her to stretch an appealing
hand toward him. Stillwell intercepted it and held it in his own.

"Miss Majesty, I'm amazin' sorry to tell worrisome news." He spoke
almost in a whisper, cautiously looked about him, and seemed both
hurried and mysterious. "If you'd heerd Stewart cuss you'd sure know how
we hate to hev to tell you this. But it can't be avoided. The fact is
we're in a bad fix. If your guests ain't scared out of their skins it'll
be owin' to your nerve an' how you carry out Stewart's orders."

"You can rely upon me," replied Madeline, firmly, though she trembled.

"Wal, what we're up against is this: that gang of bandits Pat Hawe was
chasin'--they're hidin' in the house!"

"In the house?" echoed Madeline, aghast.

"Miss Majesty, it's the amazin' truth, an' shamed indeed am I to admit
it. Stewart--why, he's wild with rage to think it could hev happened.
You see, it couldn't hev happened if I hedn't sloped the boys off to the
gol-lof-links, an' if Stewart hedn't rid out on the mesa after us. It's
my fault. I've hed too much femininity around fer my old haid. Gene
cussed me--he cussed me sure scandalous. But now we've got to face
it--to figger."

"Do you mean that a gang of hunted outlaws--bandits--have actually taken
refuge somewhere in my house?" demanded Madeline.

"I sure do. Seems powerful strange to me why you didn't find somethin'
was wrong, seem' all your servants hev sloped."

"Gone? Ah, I missed my maid! I wondered why no lights were lit. Where
did my servants go?"

"Down to the Mexican quarters, an' scared half to death. Now listen.
When Stewart left you an hour or so ago he follered me direct to where
me an' the boys was tryin' to keep Pat Hawe from tearin' t