he
threshold. To Peggy's amazement the girl was laughing.

"What does thee think, Peggy?" she cried gaily. "The sheriff insists
that he must look here for that escaped prisoner. He hath almost
scared mother out of her wits, and now he is trying to fright us. I
have told him to search all he wishes."

"I hope that you are as innocent as you appear, Miss Sally," spoke
Sheriff Will gruffly. "I've a suspicion that you two fooled me nicely
last night, but 'twon't happen again. I said down-stairs that I was
aware that the closet in this room concealed a hiding-place."

"La, la!" laughed Sally saucily. "So thee did. And how will thee find
it, friend?"

"Sam, give a hand with this bed, will you?" ordered the sheriff.

To Peggy's consternation the men moved the heavy bedstead out into the
room, and Sheriff Will opened the door of the closet. Deliberately he
threw the linen on the floor, and began to draw out the shelves. A
mist swam before her eyes. She felt her senses going, and then sat up
suddenly as Sally ran to the door, now fully exposed to view.

"Doesn't thee want me to open it for thee, Friend Will?" she asked
merrily. "Behold what thee will behold!" With this she flung wide the
door.

"Sally!" gasped Peggy in agonized tones. "Oh, Sally, how could thee?"
For the open door revealed Clifford Owen sitting on the floor of the
concealed room.

All the color faded from Sally's face at sight of him. She stood a
picture of consternation, looking from one cousin to the other
seemingly unable to speak.

"Thank you, Miss Sally," spoke Sheriff Will sarcastically. "'Twas well
played, but I think you overreached yourself for the nonce. Something
went awry. Come out, young fellow! 'Tis a pretty chase you've given
me. Come out, or I'll shoot."

"I yield, sir," answered Clifford Owen crawling out. "I yield--to
treachery. I congratulate you, Mistress Sally. The dungeon of which
you spoke was not so much of a myth as I had supposed."

But at that Sally regained her tongue.

"Peggy," she cried flinging herself down beside her friend, "didn't
thee hear me? I said the loom. I said the loom, Peggy. Oh, I never
meant--I didn't think he was there. Tell him, Peggy! Make him believe
me. Thee knows that I wouldn't do such a thing. Tell him, Peggy."

"'Thus do all traitors,'" quoted Clifford with an upward curl of his
lip. "'If their purgation did consist in words, they are as innocent
as grace itself.' I was a fool to trust a woma