woman in there," said Lem in a low voice.

"What woman?" asked Lon.

"Scraggy."

"Scraggy! How'd she come in here?"

"I took her in," said Lem. "She were the woman what that guy throwed
over the fence."

Lon pushed his companion aside and pressed through the small doorway. He
cast the light of the lantern about; but no Screech Owl was in sight.

"If Scraggy was over here, Lem," he said doubtfully, "then she's gone.
We'd better scoot and get a place to stay all night."

CHAPTER TWENTY

When Fledra entered the breakfast room it was evident to both Ann and
Horace that she had had no sleep. Dark rings had settled under her eyes.
The girl had decided that Lon would make good his threat against the
person who should try to keep his children from him, and, if she went to
school, Lem and her father might come when she was gone. As they rose
from the table, she said sullenly:

"I'm not goin' to school any more. I don't like that place. I want to
stay at home."

"Are you ill, Dear?" asked Ann, coming forward.

"No, I'm not sick; but I can't go to school."

Horace's brow darkened.

"That's hardly the way to speak to my sister, Fledra," he chided gently.

Ann glanced at him in appeal. Fledra was standing before them, and her
eyes dropped under his words.

"If I asked you to let me stay home," she said in a low tone, "you'd
both say I couldn't; so I just had to say that I won't go."

Fledra knew no other way to stand guard over the houseful of loved ones.
If Lon were to come while she was gone, he might take her brother. If
she told Horace that thieves had entered his home, and if she named
them, that would draw fatal consequences down on Floyd. She could only
hold her peace and let matters take their course. At any rate, she did
not intend to go to school. Now she cast a quick glance at Ann; but kept
her eyes studiously from Horace. Noting Miss Shellington's entreating
face, Fledra flung out her hands.

"I didn't want to be mean," she said quickly; "but I want you to let me
stay home today. Can I? Please, can I?"

"There! I knew that you'd apologize to my sister," Horace said, smiling.

At this, Fledra turned upon him. He had never felt a pair of eyes affect
him as did hers. How winsomely sweet she was! It came over him in a
flash that he had not dealt quite justly with her; so he smiled again
and held out his hands.

* * * * *

During the morning Fledra crept ghostl