ell away. And so after a while he
returned to the cabin and with his weapon beside him finished his
interrupted toilet.

But his brows were in a tangle. The mystery surrounding him seemed
suddenly to have deepened. For the face that he had seen at the window
was that of the stranger who had stared at him so curiously--the man of
the soft hat and dark mustache--who had seemed so startled at seeing him
in the Pennsylvania Station when he was leaving New York.

CHAPTER VI

THE HOUSE OF TERROR

Who--what was this stranger who seemed so interested in his whereabouts?
Peter was sure that he had made no mistake. It was an unusual face,
swarthy, with high cheek bones, dark eyes, a short nose with prominent
nostrils. Perhaps it would not have been so firmly impressed on his
memory except for the curious look of startled recognition that Peter
had surprised on it at the station in New York. This had puzzled him for
some moments in the train but had been speedily lost in the interest of
his journey. The man had followed him to Black Rock. But why? What did
he want of Peter and why should he skulk around the cabin and risk the
danger of Peter's bullets? It seemed obvious that he was here for some
dishonest purpose, but what dishonest purpose could have any interest in
Peter? If robbery, why hadn't the man chosen the time while Peter was
away in the woods? Peter grinned to himself. If the man had any private
sources of information as to Peter's personal assets, he would have
known that they consisted of a two-dollar watch and a small sum in
money. If the dishonest purpose were murder or injury, why hadn't he
attacked Peter while he was bathing, naked and quite defenseless, in the
creek?

There seemed to be definite answers to all of these questions, but none
to the fact of the man's presence, to the fact of his look of
recognition, or to the fact of his wish to be unobserved. Was he a part
of the same conspiracy which threatened McGuire? Or was this a little
private conspiracy arranged for Peter alone? And if so, why? So far as
Peter knew he hadn't an enemy in America, and even if he had made one,
it was hardly conceivable that any one should go to such lengths to
approach an issue and then deliberately avoid it.

But there seemed no doubt that something was up and that, later, more
would be heard from this curious incident. It seemed equally certain
that had the stranger meant to shoot Peter he could easily have done