all, whence Jane might steal to the yacht. Audrey turned back towards
the stairs, and the vast intimidating emptiness of the gloomy house, lit by
a single flickering candle, assaulted her. She had to fight it before she
could descend. The garden door was latched, but not locked. Extinguishing
the candle, she went forth. The gusty breeze from the estuary was now damp
on her cheek with the presage of rain. She hurried, fumbling as it were,
through the garden. When she achieved the hedge the spectacle of the yacht,
gleaming from stem to stern with electricity, burst upon her; it shone like
something desired and unattainable. Carefully she issued from the grounds
by the little gate and crossed the intervening space to the dyke. A dark
figure moved in front of her, and her heart violently jumped.

"Is that you, madam?"

It was the cold, imperturbable voice of Aguilar. At once she felt
reassured.

"Where is Miss Foley?" she demanded in a whisper.

"I've got her down here, ma'am," said Aguilar. "I presume as you've been to
the house. We had to leave it."

"But the door of the tank-room was locked!"

"Yes, ma'am. I locked it a-purpose.... I thought as it would keep the
police employed a bit when they come. I seen my cousin Sarah when I went to
tell Miss Ingate as you instructed me. My cousin Sarah seen Keeble. They
been to Frinton to Mrs. Spatt's, and they found out about _that_. And now
the 'tec's back, or nearly. I reckon it was the warrant as was delaying
him. So I out with Miss Foley. I thought I could take her across to the
yacht from here. It wouldn't hardly be safe for her to walk round by the
dyke. Hurley may have several of his chaps about by this time."

"But there's not water enough, Aguilar."

"Yes, madam. I dragged the old punt down. She don't draw three inches.
She's afloat now, and Miss Foley's in her. I was just a-going off. If you
don't mind wetting your feet----"

In one minute Audrey had splashed into the punt. Jane Foley took her hand
in silence, and she heard Jane's low, happy laugh.

"Isn't it funny?" Jane whispered.

Audrey squeezed her hand.

Aguilar pushed off with an oar, and he continued to use the oar as a
punt-pole, so that no sound of their movement should reach the bank. Water
was pouring into the old sieve, and they touched ground once. But Aguilar
knew precisely what he was about and got her off again. They approached
the yacht with the slow, sure inexorability of Aguilar's characte