ed to a
caning, can face the prospect with a decent front if only the punishment
is not deferred. "Cane me, if you must!" he would say, "but get it over
and let's have done with it!" A fair request, provided the culprit be
not a hardened nature whom it is policy to keep in suspense. In such a
case the Third Degree may be justified. But suppose your culprit to be a
sensitive shrinking nature, to whom the waiting is worse torture than
the actual pain itself, is it not a refinement of cruelty to keep him on
the tenter-hooks? Robert Hedderwick was of such, a gentle, kindly,
romantic, imaginative fool. You who scorn his folly might pardon, could
you but enter into half his feelings as he waits amid the elder-bushes.

At eleven o'clock there was promise of incident to cheer their hearts.
From the other side of the house they heard a voice call sharply, "Who
is there?" No answer was returned, but before the echoes died they saw a
dark figure run silently across the lawn and clamber up the wall where
they had made an entrance. Breathlessly they watched, and in another
moment a second figure, carrying some lethal weapon, walked sharply into
the field of vision. The newcomer made a tour of the house and part of
the garden, but did not disturb the anxious watchers in the elders. As
soon as he had disappeared Robert whispered, "What now? Shall we go
after the man who climbed?"

"No," replied Tony, whispering too. "I don't understand this. It's a
different program. Looks as if something is up. Better wait."

His companion sighed, for he had hoped release was at hand. Instead, he
resigned himself to waiting.

An hour crept by with feet of lead. To the amateur plotters it seemed as
if time itself were standing still. Robert thought it must be two
o'clock at least, but Tony's common sense guessed it to be near
midnight. Once the churchwarden ventured to suggest that honor was
satisfied, curiosity likely to be disappointed; why not retire? Tony
refused doggedly:

"I'm going to see it through now if we wait till five o'clock. No more
lost chances!"

Robert groaned and rubbed his leg.

It was half past one when Robert, half asleep, conscious of nothing but
discomfort, felt Tony plucking at his sleeve. He roused himself
irritably, almost forgetful of their errand. Then, in the dim
foreshadowing of dawn, he saw the outline of a man on the top of the
wall. He awoke fully on the instant, clutching his fellow sufferer in
pure fright,