it, you are the alleged sister of the woman who is working herself off
as Mrs. Medcroft. It may interest you to know that your sister--if she
is your sister--has locked herself in her room and was in hysterics when
I left the hotel. She will be carefully guarded, however. She cannot
escape. As for you, madam, there is as yet no complaint against you, but
I wish to notify you that you may consider yourself under surveillance
until after your friends have had a hearing before the magistrate
to-morrow. As soon as it has ceased raining we will ask you to ride with
us to the city. As for Mr. B., he is in charge of these officers."

At eight o'clock that evening a solemn cavalcade rode into Innsbruck.
There were tears of expostulation in the eyes of the lone young woman,
flashes of indignation in those of the tall young man who rode beside
her.

The tall young man was going to gaol!




CHAPTER VII

THE THREE GUARDIANS


The anti-climax had struck the Hotel Tirol some hours before it came
upon Brock and Miss Fowler. It seems that Githens had gone first to the
big hostelry in quest of light on the very puzzling dilemma in which he
found himself involved. Inquiries at the office only served to stir up a
grave commotion among the clerks and managers, all of whom vociferously