you now. And
you know that I know you!"

It did not improve Ambrose's case to say it, but he felt better. The
half-breed changed color and edged behind Macfarlane's gun.

Colina presently reappeared, showing a white and stony face. "Mr.
Pringle," she said, "go down and lock the side door and bring me the
key. The rest of you go to the library and wait for me."

Ambrose flushed darkly. That Colina should even for a moment hold the
balance between him and the half-breed made him burn with anger.
Passionate reproaches leaped to his lips, but pride forced them back.

Turning stiffly he marched downstairs before Macfarlane without a word.
She should suffer for this when he was exonerated, he vowed. That he
might not be exonerated immediately did not occur to him.

In the library Strange and Macfarlane whispered together. When Pringle
rejoined them all were silent. For upward of ten minutes they waited,
facing each other grimly.

The strain was too great for the nerves of the little parson. He
finally broke into a kind of terrified, dry sobbing.

"For God's sake say something!" he faltered. "This is too horrible!"

Macfarlane glanced at him with a contemptuous pity and stood a little
aside from the door. "Better go into the front room," he said. "You
can't do any good here."

The little man shook his head, and going to the window turned his back
on them and endeavored to master his shaking.

Shortly afterward Colina came down-stairs. At her entrance all looked
the question none dared put into words.

Colina veiled her eyes. "My father only fainted," she said levelly.
"Dr. Giddings says he is little worse than before."

A long breath escaped from her hearers.

Strange cunningly contrived to get his story out first. As he spoke
all eyes were bent on the ground. They could not face the horror of
the other eyes.

Pringle was obliged to sit on the sofa to control the trembling of his
limbs. The others stood--Macfarlane, Colina, and Strange near the
door--Ambrose facing them from in front of the desk.

"You will remember," Strange began collectedly, "it was I who advised
that this man should be admitted to the house. I thought we could
watch him better from the inside. I have never ceased to watch him
from that moment.

"When you all turned in and I was left at the side door I kept my eye
on this room. The last time I looked in I saw that he had disappeared.
He had slipped so softly down the