"What a very interesting town!" the young man thought. "People to talk
to every way you turn."




CHAPTER VI


THE HERO TALKS WITH A LADY IN THE DARK

Varney called reassuringly into the gloom: "I sincerely beg your pardon
for bursting in like that. I--had no idea there was any one here."

There was a second's pause.

"N--no," said the pretty voice, hesitatingly. "You--you couldn't--of
course."

"But please tell me at once," he said, puzzled by this--"have I taken
the unforgivable liberty of breaking into your house?"

"My house?" And he caught something like bewildered relief in her voice.
"Why--I--was thinking that I had broken into yours."

Varney laughed, his back against the door.

"If it were, I'm sure I should be able to offer you a light at the
least. If it were yours, now that I stop to think--well, perhaps it
_would_ be a little eccentric for you to be sitting there in your parlor