hem amiably.

"Well, my dears, so you tried to give me the slip. I rather thought
you'd bear watching, so I followed you. And when I saw the officers
come out without you I knew you had successfully entertained them with
some sort of plausible explanation."

His gaze fixed on Matilda. "So, my dear sister, you're really the
housekeeper here." He shook his head chidingly. "And the usual
crook of a housekeeper, eh--trying to make a safe clean-up while her
mistress is away. You're deeper than I thought, Matilda. I understand
the whole affair now. You and our sister Angelica had already been
planning some kind of a game similar to the one I suggested. I just
happened to think of the same thing. I don't blame you a lot for not
wanting to take me into the game; it was quite natural for you to want
all there is in it for yourselves. Not the least hard feeling in the
world, my dears. But, of course,"--apologetically,--"you could hardly
expect me to give up a rich thing like this, could you?"

His easy, familiar, ironic talk had brought Mrs. De Peyster one large
item of relief. Evidently he didn't suspect who she was--yet.

"What are you going to do?" she managed to ask.

"Stay right here with you, my sisters, and in due time we'll go ahead
with our game as per previous specifications." He surveyed the high,
paneled dining-room, sumptuous, distinguished even in the semi-dusk.
"Cozy little flat, eh, my dears?"

Suddenly that wide mouth of his slipped up to one side, and he laughed
in exultant, impish glee.

"Say, isn't this the funniest ever! Beats my plan a mile. We'll
make ourselves at home--hang out together for the summer in Mrs. De
Peyster's own house,--_her own house_,--and when we hear she's coming
back we vacate and then do our little act of buying out the stores in
Lady De Peyster's name. Was there ever such a lark!" For a moment
his low laugh of wild glee cut off his speech. "What's more, it's the
safest place in the world for us. Nobody'd ever think of our being
here!"

Mrs. De Peyster stared at Matilda, Matilda stared at Mrs. De Peyster.

"And it's just what I needed," continued Mr. Pyecroft in amicable
confidence. "I just had a tip that the police were closing in on me,
and I had to disappear quick. An hour ago, I'd never have dreamed
of falling into such a safe little retreat as this. Luck favors the
deserving."

Mrs. De Peyster gazed at him, faint.

"And of course, Matilda," he went on, "if, say, any o