"What do you mean?" Dunn asked quickly. The matted growth of hair
on his face served well to hide any change of expression, but his
eyes betrayed him with their look of surprise and discomfiture, and
in her own clear and steady glance appeared now a kind of puzzled
mockery as if she understood well that all he did was done for some
purpose, though what that purpose was still perplexed her.

"I mean," she said slowly, "well--what do I mean? I am only asking
a question. Are you a burglar--or have you come here for some
other reason?"

"I don't know what you're getting at," he grumbled. "Think I'm here
for fun? Not me. Come and sit on this chair and put your hands
behind you and don't make a noise, or scream, or anything, not if
you value your life."

"I don't know that I do very much," she answered with a manner of
extreme bitterness, but more as if speaking to herself than to him.

She did as he ordered, and he proceeded to tie her wrists together
and to fasten them to the back of the chair on which she had seated
herself. He was careful not to draw the cords too tight, but at the
same time he made the fastening secure.

"You won't disturb mother, will you?" she asked quietly when he had
finished. "Her room's the one at the end of the passage."

"I don't want to disturb any one," he answered. "I only want to get
off quietly. I won't gag you, but don't you try to make any noise,