reluctantly, pocketing his pistol. "We must find out how this happened.
Perhaps there _has_ been a thief----"

"No sign of anything being disturbed in your room," the younger man
assured him. "However, you'd best have a look round. If you like"--and he
laughed a frank-sounding laugh--"I'm quite willing to be searched before
I leave the house, so you can make sure I'm not going off with any
booty."

"Certainly not! Nothing of the kind! I accept your explanation,"
protested Ruthven Smith. He laughed also, though stiffly and with an
effort. "I have no valuables in my luggage--I have brought none with me.
It's not worth my while to open the boxes in my room, as there's nothing
there to tempt a thief. Still, one gets a start coming to a quiet house,
at this time of night, finding a light in one's windows that ought to be
dark, and then seeing a man walk out of one's room. My nerves aren't
over-strong. I confess I have a horror of night alarms. I travel a good
deal, and have got in the habit of carrying a pistol. However, all's well
that ends well. I apologize to you, and to Miss Grayle. When I know you
better, I hope you'll allow me to make up by congratulating you both on
your engagement."

As he spoke, in his prim, old-fashioned way, he began to descend the
stairs, taking off his hat, as if to join the girl whom in thought he had
wronged for an instant. "Nelson Smith" followed, smiling at Annesley over
the elder man's high, narrow head sparsely covered with lank hair of
fading brown.

It was at this moment Mrs. Ellsworth chose to appear, habited once more
in a hurriedly donned dressing gown, a white silk scarf substituted in