an friendly. Confidences had been exchanged: Tony had
repeated to the envious churchwarden some of the tamer episodes of his
dilettante existence; Robert had tried to cap them with his burglars and
Alicia.

"But you ought to let your wife know something," suggested Tony. "She
may be worrying."

The churchwarden looked a little uneasy. "If I write I might be traced
by the postmark," he objected. "I suppose I might send a letter saying
I'm all right to a friend, and get him to readdress it. But even then
there's a danger...."

"There's danger any way," said Tony, smoking thoughtfully. "From what
you tell me, I should think Mrs. Hedderwick would not hesitate to use
detectives if she thought it necessary. I should hardly think it would
be long before they picked up your trail, unless you communicate with
her. Really, you know----" He broke off suddenly and laughed. "No! don't
write; I've got a better plan. I won't tell you now, but keep it for a
little--till a dull hour comes and we are hard up for something to do."

Robert, naturally curious, begged for enlightenment, but Tony was
adamant. Changing his ground, he declared that there was no hurry for a
day or two,--or at least for a few hours. Mrs. Hedderwick would probably
take a couple of days to make up her mind to use the police, and
meanwhile they were better employed in seizing the thrills of the
moment. Tony got his way, of course: he was accustomed to lead and exact
obedience. Personality and class-consciousness, coupled with a humor
that appealed to his victims, made the task easy.

"I haven't told you yet," said he, after silencing Robert's objections,
"what I did with my morning. Well, I looked round and got the general
hang of the village. More, I followed our mysterious friend--let's call
him Billy,--and from a distance saw him enter The Quiet House. (Queer
place that, by the way. Surrounded by a brick wall ten feet
high,--couldn't get a glimpse inside except through a gate.) The
landlord tells me that he hasn't booked a bed here, so it looks either
as if he meant to leave Shereling or stay at The Quiet House."

"A good job, too," commented Robert. "It wouldn't do for him to see me.
Of course I should be recognized at once, and that would make him
suspicious."

"Quite so," agreed Tony. "If he hung about here you'd have to stay in
bed all day,--rather a depressing prospect when fun is promised. But if
I were you I'd give a false name to the landlord. If