maids. She looked round the room
apologetically. "I thought the master was here," she said.

"He's in the study." It was Digby who answered, and the door closed
again, only to re-open almost immediately.

"The master has gone out, ma'am." The girl looked at Faith. "And it's
Mr. Farrow, from the factory, to see him; most urgent he says it is."
Faith turned her face away.

"I don't know where he has gone," she said, in a cold little voice.
"Tell Mr. Farrow."

The maid was leaving the room when Peg sprang up. She brushed past the
astonished girl unceremoniously, and went straight to where Farrow, the
manager of Heeler's, stood in the hall, nervously twisting his hat.

"What's the matter?" she asked, in her usual direct fashion.

Farrow knew Peg well, and had always had a queer sort of respect for
her, in spite of the odd things which he knew had been said of her from
time to time.

He answered without hesitating that there was trouble brewing down at
the works, and that he had come to warn Mr. Forrester to stay at home
that evening.

"I've warned him before," he added, in distress. "But I might as well
have spoken to the wall."

Peg caught her breath with a little hard sound.

"Who is it, Ben Travers and his gang?" she asked.

"Yes. Ben had too much drink in the Green Man public-house, close by
Heeler's, last night, and he talked, and I know that if Mr. Forrester's
wise he will stay at home to-night."

"But he's gone already!" The words burst from Peg's lips in despair.

For a moment she stood staring at him, her handsome face quite
colourless. Then she turned suddenly and rushed upstairs.

She caught up the first coat she could find, and, hatless as she was,
rushed down again and out through the front door, running to overtake
Farrow, who had already left the house.

She caught him up at the end of the street, breathless and panting.

"Get a taxi! Oh, how slow you are!" she broke out passionately.

She dashed out into the road, nearly getting run over in her excitement,
and pulled up a slowly passing taxicab.

Farrow had recovered himself and hurriedly followed.

"It may be all bluff," he said, rather shamefacedly, as they drove away;
"but I don't like the look of things, and that's a fact. And I thought
it my duty to warn the guv'nor." Man-like, he hated to feel that he had
made an unnecessary fuss.

Peg did not answer. Her eyes were fixed on the dark night, and her hands
hard clasped in her lap