coming from the dance? I didn't see you there."

"No," replied the uncomfortable Brent. "I was restless and just
strolled here."

"Oh! Let us go on to the road."

"Right," said the other man, and they walked on.

Before they had gone a few steps Jerry stopped abruptly. Right in front
of him at the gate was a forty-horse-power "Mercedes" automobile.

"Strolled here? Why, you have your car!" said Jerry.

"Yes," replied Brent hurriedly. "It's a bright night for a spin."

The two men went on out of hearing.

CHAPTER X

Peg Intervenes

Peg listened until she heard the faint sounds in the distance of the
automobile being started--then silence.

She crept softly upstairs. Just as she reached the top Ethel appeared
from behind the curtains on her way down to the room. She was fully
dressed and carried a small travelling bag.

Peg looked at her in amazement.

"Ethel!" she said in a hoarse whisper.

"You!" cried Ethel, under her breath and glaring at Peg furiously.

"Please don't tell anyone ye've seen me!" begged Peg.

"Go down into the room!" Ethel ordered.

Peg went down the stairs into the dark room, lit only by the stream of
moonlight coming in through the windows at the back. Ethel followed her:

"What are you doing here?"

"I've been to the dance. Oh, ye won't tell me aunt, will ye? She'd send
me away an' I don't want to go now, indade I don't."

"To the dance?" repeated Ethel, incredulously. Try as she would she
could not rid herself of the feeling that Peg was there to watch her.

"To the DANCE?" she asked again.

"Yes. Mr. Jerry took me."

"JERRY took you?"

"Yer mother wouldn't let me go. So Jerry came back for me when ye were
all in bed and he took me himself. And I enjoyed it so much. An' I
don't want yer mother to know about it. Ye won't tell her, will ye?"

"I shall most certainly see that my mother knows of it."

"Ye will?" cried poor, broken-hearted Peg.

"I shall. You had no right to go."

"Why are ye so hard on me, Ethel?"

"Because I detest you."

"I'm sorry," said Peg simply. "Ye've spoiled all me pleasure now. Good
night, Ethel."

Sore at heart and thoroughly unhappy, poor Peg turned away from Ethel
and began to climb the stairs. When she was about half-way up a thought
flashed across her. She came back quickly into the room and went
straight across to Ethel.

"And what are YOU doin' here--at this time o' night? An' dressed like
THAT? An' with that BAG? What