lights. I tried the small entry door there, which opened on the
veranda, and examined the windows. Everything was secure, and
Liddy, a little less nervous now, had just pointed out to me the
disgracefully dusty condition of the hard-wood floor, when
suddenly the lights went out. We waited a moment; I think Liddy
was stunned with fright, or she would have screamed. And then I
clutched her by the arm and pointed to one of the windows opening
on the porch. The sudden change threw the window into relief, an
oblong of grayish light, and showed us a figure standing close,
peering in. As I looked it darted across the veranda and out of
sight in the darkness.



CHAPTER II

A LINK CUFF-BUTTON

Liddy's knees seemed to give away under her. Without a sound she
sank down, leaving me staring at the window in petrified
amazement. Liddy began to moan under her breath, and in my
excitement I reached down and shook her.

"Stop it," I whispered. "It's only a woman--maybe a maid of the
Armstrongs'. Get up and help me find the door." She groaned
again. "Very well," I said, "then I'll have to leave you here.
I'm going."

She moved at that, and, holding to my sleeve, we felt our way,
with numerous collisions, to the billiard-room, and from there to