e Black Range."

Miss Spencer shook back her hair with a merry laugh, and clasped her
hands. "Why, it is just the most delightful situation I ever heard
about. He is just certain to come back after you, Naida. I wouldn't
miss being here for anything."

They were still sitting there, when the notes of a softly touched
guitar stole in through the open window. Both glanced about in
surprise, but Miss Spencer was first to recover speech.

"A serenade! Did you ever!" she whispered. "Do you suppose it can be
he?" She extinguished the lamp and knelt upon the floor, peering
eagerly forth into the brilliant moonlight. "Why, Naida, what do you
think? It's Mr. Moffat. How beautifully he plays!"

Naida, her face pressed against the other window, gave vent to a single
note of half-suppressed laughter. "There 's going to be something
happening," she exclaimed. "Oh, Miss Spencer, come here quick--some
one is going to turn on the hydraulic."

Miss Spencer knelt beside her. Moffat was still plainly visible, his
pale face upturned in the moonlight, his long silky mustaches slightly
stirred by the soft air, his fingers touching the strings; but back in
the shadows of the bushes was seen another figure, apparently engaged
upon some task with feverish eagerness. To Miss Spencer all was
mystery.

"What is it?" she anxiously questioned.

"The hydraulic," whispered the other. "There 's a big lake up in the
hills, and they 've piped the water down here. It 's got a force like
a cannon, and that fellow--I don't know whether it is Herndon or
not--is screwing on the hose connection. I bet your Mr. Moffat gets a
shock!"

"It's a perfect shame, an outrage! I 'm going to tell him."

Naida caught her sleeve firmly, her eyes full of laughter. "Oh, please
don't, Miss Spencer. It will be such fun. Let's see where it hits
him!"

For one single instant the lady yielded, and in it all opportunity for
warning fled. There was a sharp sizzling, which caused Moffat to
suspend his serenade; then something struck him,--it must have been
fairly in the middle, for he shut up like a jack-knife, and went
crashing backwards with an agonized howl. There was a gleam of shining
water, something black squirming among the weeds, a yell, a volley of
half-choked profanity, and a fleeing figure, apparently pursued by a
huge snake. Naida shook with laughter, clinging with both hands to the
sill, but Miss Spencer was plainly shocked.

"Oh,