as accomplices."

"You can save yourself the trouble," growled the burglar. "I'm on my
own. When you 'phone for the police, ask 'em to fetch a doctor with
'em. You've broken my ruddy arm, damn you!"

"Considering that you did your best to murder me, you dog, you can
think yourself lucky that I did not kill you as soon as I got
possession of your pistol," retorted Don Carlos, who had recovered his
breath.

There was little sleep for anyone at Auchinleven that night. The local
Police Inspector and a Constable arrived after a long interval and took
the burglar away, after making a search of the house, assisted by the
servants, without finding any accomplices of the man in custody.

Next morning, of course, Don Carlos was the hero of the hour, and
everyone was lavishing compliments and congratulations on him for
having tackled an armed burglar single-handed and getting the better of
the desperado.

"I thought I heard someone prowling about in the corridor and got up to
investigate," Don Carlos explained. "The fellow seemed to be trying to
force the door of Miss Rostrevor's room, and when I challenged him he
whipped out a pistol and fired at me. Fortunately for me, he missed,
and before he could fire again I grappled with him, managed to get a
grip on his arm, and dislocated his elbow by a trick taught me years
ago by an old wrestler."

"I wonder why he was trying to force my door, which was locked and
bolted, instead of discovering if some of the other doors had been left
unlocked," said Myra. "Oddly enough, I fancied I heard someone trying
my door some time before I heard the shot. And I still think there was
more than one burglar concerned," she added, with a direct and
challenging glance at Don Carlos.

"The Police Inspector tells me the man asserts he had no accomplices or
confederates," said Don Carlos, his face expressionless. "It is
strange, nevertheless, that he should have attempted to force his way
into your room in preference to any other."

"Very strange!" agreed Myra. "And how fortunate for me that I should
have happened to take the precaution of locking and bolting my door.
Oddly enough, I had a sort of presentiment that if I did not bolt my
door something dreadfully unpleasant might happen. Normally, you see,
I don't bolt the door or lock it. It I do, it means that I have to get
up when my maid brings my morning tea. But the night before last I
seemed to have a warning, so last night I