note.

It was from Elsa.

"Will be down to see you to-night at eight. Have sent a note to Nat in
your name, telling him to be there, too. I think we have him on the
hip, so be sure and have the squire and the officer present."

Code wondered vaguely how they had Nat on the hip, as he had been
unable to find a single iota of proof to push home the case he and
Elsa had built up against him.

The note brought him stark awake and eager for the conference. He had
begun to drowse after a good home dinner and sixty hours without
sleep, but this acted like an electric shock. He was keen and alert,
for he knew that this was the night of his destiny. Either he should
triumph as he had in the grueling race, or he should have to face the
ignominy of transfer and legal proceedings at St. Andrew's.

At half-past seven Squire Hardy, his round, red face fringed by snowy
whiskers, came in. He dragged a chair into the passageway in front of
the bar and was beginning a long and laborious law opinion when the
detective, who had been to Mis' Shannon's boarding-house for dinner,
returned.

The two began to fight the matter out between them when, at a quarter
to eight, Nat came in, dressed in his best clothes and smoking a land
cigar.

"Well, what do you want of me, Schofield?" he asked. "You sent for me,
but you needn't try to beg off. I won't listen to it. Now, go ahead."

On the instant a feminine voice was heard outside, and a moment later
Elsa Mallaby stepped into the little four-foot passage.

"Oh, how many there are here!" she said in a surprised voice.
"Perhaps, Code, I had better wait until later."

"Hey, Roscoe!" sung out Code, hardly able to control his desire to
grin. "Bring Mrs. Mallaby a chair." Roscoe obeyed and added two more,
so that all were placed within a small compass just outside Code's
cell.

From Elsa Mallaby's first entrance Nat had observed her with a certain
flicker of fear and hatred in his eyes. She, on the other hand,
greeted him with the same formal cordiality she had used toward the
others. Though utterly incongruous in such surroundings, she seemed
absolutely at her ease and instantly assumed command of the
situation.

"Excuse me," said Nat, who had not sat down and shifted from one foot
to the other, "but Schofield sent for me, an' I would like to find out
what he wants. I've got to go along."

"Schofield didn't send for you--I sent for you. There are several
things about this imprisonment