understand: how the intruder had escaped with everything locked,
and why he had left the small silver, which, in the absence of a
butler, had remained down-stairs over night.

Under pretext of learning more about the place, Thomas Johnson
led me through the house and the cellars, without result.
Everything was in good order and repair; money had been spent
lavishly on construction and plumbing. The house was full of
conveniences, and I had no reason to repent my bargain, save
the fact that, in the nature of things, night must come again.
And other nights must follow--and we were a long way from a
police-station.

In the afternoon a hack came up from Casanova, with a fresh relay
of servants. The driver took them with a flourish to the
servants' entrance, and drove around to the front of the house,
where I was awaiting him.

"Two dollars," he said in reply to my question. "I don't charge
full rates, because, bringin' 'em up all summer as I do, it pays
to make a special price. When they got off the train, I sez, sez
I, `There's another bunch for Sunnyside, cook, parlor maid and
all.' Yes'm--six summers, and a new lot never less than once a
month. They won't stand for the country and the lonesomeness, I
reckon."

But with the presence of the "bunch" of servants my courage
revived, and late in the afternoon came a message from Gertrude
that she and Halsey would arrive that night at about eleven
o'clock, coming in the car from Richfield. Things were looking