Square, where we struck into Broad, followed it out
past the churches and to that length of it that held the fine homes in
their beautiful grounds, getting close at last to where town melts again
into orchards. The road between its rows of fernlike pepper trees was a
wet gleam before us, all black and silver; the arc lights made big misty
blurs without much illumination as we came to the Thornhill place. Worth
got down and, though she told him he needn't bother, took her in to the
gate. For a minute I waited, getting the bulk of the big frame house
back among the trees, with a single light twinkling from an upper story
window; then Worth flung into the car and we speeded on, skirting a long
frontage of lawns, beautifully kept, pearly with the fog, set off with
artfully grouped shrubbery and winding walks. There was no barrier but a
low stone coping; the drive to the Gilbert place went in on the side
farthest from the Thornhill's. We ran in under a carriage porch. The
house was black.

"See if I can raise anybody," said Worth as he jumped to the ground.
"Let you in, and then I'll run the roadster around to the garage."

But the house was so tightly locked up that he had finally to break in
through a pantry window. I was out in front when he made it, and saw the
lights begin to flash up, the porch lamp flooding me with a sudden glare
before he threw the door open.

"Cold as a vault in here."

He twisted his broad shoulders in a shudder, and I looked about me. It
was a big entrance hall, with a wide stairway. There on the hat tree
hung a man's light overcoat, a gray fedora hat; a stick leaned below.
When the master of the house went out of it this time, he hadn't needed
these. Abruptly Worth turned and led the way into what I knew was the
living room, with a big open fireplace in it.

"Make yourself as comfortable as you can, Jerry. I'll get a blaze here
in two shakes. I suppose you're hungry as a wolf--I am. This is a hell
of a place I've brought you into."

"Forget it," I returned. "I can look after myself. I'm used to rustling.
Let me make that fire."

"All right." He gave up his place on the hearth to me, straightened
himself and stood a minute, saying, "I'll raid the kitchen. Chung's sure
to have plenty of food cooked. He may not be back here before midnight."

"Midnight?" I echoed. "Is that usual?"

"Used to be. Chung's been with father a long time. Good chink. Always
given his whole Sunday, and if he was o