determinedly to descend. Mrs. De Peyster loosed her grip on Matilda's
arm and vanished noiselessly downward.

"Speak up there," commanded Jack, "or I'll fire on the chance of
getting you in the dark."

"It's only me, Mr. Jack," trembled Matilda.

"What, Matilda!" cried Jack; and from above, like an echo transposed
an octave higher, sounded another, "What, Matilda!"

"Yes, Mr. Jack. Yes, ma'a--yes, Mary."

"But where the devil have you been?" exclaimed Jack, coming to her
side.

Mary had also hurried down to her. "Matilda, the way you ran away from
us!"

"I got a--er--sudden message. There was no time--"

"Never mind about explaining now," interrupted Jack. "Go down and stop
that racket before they break in the doors. And thank God you're here
just in time, Matilda! You're just the person to do it: housekeeper,
caretaker. But be careful if they're reporters. Now, hurry."

Jack and Mary scuttled back to the haven of upstairs, and Matilda
shivered down through the blackness. As she passed through the lower
hall, a hand reached out of the dark and touched her. She managed not
to cry out.

"Don't let them know about me!" implored Mrs. De Peyster.

"I'll--I'll do my best, ma'am," quavered Matilda, and glided weakly
on.

When she opened the servants' door, a dripping policeman caught her
arm. "Down here, Bill," he called to the man battering at the door
above; and a minute later two officers were inside, and the door was
closed, and a light was flashing in Matilda's face.

"Now, old girl," said the first officer, tightly gripping her arm and
giving it that twist which if a policeman does not give an arm he is
no policeman, "what's your little game, eh?"

"I--I live here, sir. I'm the housekeeper."

"Now don't try to put that over on us. You know you ain't."

"You must be new policemen, in this neighborhood," trembled Matilda,
"or you'd know I am."

"We may be new cops, but we don't fall for old stuff like that. I was
talkin' to Mrs. De Peyster's coachman only yesterday. He told me the
housekeeper wasn't here no more. So better change your line o' dope.
Where's the other one?"

"Wha--what other one?"

"The one what come in here with you."

"I'm the only person in the house," Matilda tried to declare
valiantly.

"Drop it!" said the officer. "Didn't the boss tell us to keep our eyes
on these here millionaires' closed houses; all kinds o' slick crooks
likely to clean 'em out. An' didn't we see two wo