he remained thus, some one, who had been standing not far off, drew
near. This person steathily passed; in doing so he glanced around; but
John Steele felt uncertain whether the fellow had or had not been able
to distinguish him in the gloom. John Steele waited, however, until the
other moved a short distance on; then he retraced his own way quietly,
keeping to the grass, toward the house; near it he swerved and in the
same rapid manner stole around the place until he reached the back wall.

There he examined his position, felt the top, then placed his fingers on
the wall. It was about six feet high, but seizing hold, he was about to
spring into the air, when behind him, from the direction of the Row, a
low metallic sound caught his attention. The front gate to the Forsythe
house had suddenly clicked; some one had entered,--not the servant; John
Steele had seen him but a few moments before in the kitchen; some one,
then, who had quietly picked the lock, as the surest way of getting in.

John Steele looked back; even as he did so, a number of figures abruptly
ran forward from the gate. He waited no longer but drew himself up to a
level with the top of the wall. The effort made him acutely aware of his
wounded shoulder; he winced but set his teeth hard and swung himself
over until one foot came in contact with the iron frame of the
greenhouse next to the masonry. To crawl to the end of the lean-to,
bending to hold to the wall, and then to let himself down, occupied but
a brief interval.

As he stood there, trying to make out a path through shrubs and trees,
he heard behind him an imperative knocking at the front door of Captain
Forsythe's house; the expostulating tones of the serving-man; the
half-indistinct replies that were succeeded by the noise of feet
hastening into the house.

For some time nothing save these sounds was wafted to the listener; then
a loud disappointed voice, sounding above another voice, came from a
half-opened window. John Steele stood still no longer; great hazard,
almost certain capture, lay before him in the direction he was going;
the street this garden led to would be watched; but he could not remain
where he was. Already his enemies were moving about in the neighboring
grounds; soon they would flash their lights over the wall, would
discover him, unless--He moved quickly forward. As he neared the house,
more imposing than Captain Forsythe's, a stream of light poured from a
window; through