ored, for example's sake,
by the perfect Tappington--was softly whistling.

In this simple fashion the first pages of this little idyl were quietly
turned. The book might have been closed or laid aside even then. But
it so chanced that Cherry was an unconscious prophet; and presently it
actually became a prudential necessity for her to have a masculine
escort when she walked out. For a growing state of lawlessness and
crime culminated one day the deep tocsin of the Vigilance Committee,
and at its stroke fifty thousand peaceful men, reverting to the first
principles of social safety, sprang to arms, assembled at their
quarters, or patrolled the streets. In another hour the city of San
Francisco was in the hands of a mob--the most peaceful, orderly, well
organized, and temperate the world had ever known, and yet in
conception as lawless, autocratic, and imperious as the conditions it
opposed.

IV.

Herbert, enrolled in the same section with his employer and one or two
fellow-clerks, had participated in the meetings of the committee with
the light-heartedness and irresponsibility of youth, regretting only
the loss of his usual walk with Cherry and the hours that kept him from
her house. He was returning from a protracted meeting one night, when
the number of arrests and searching for proscribed and suspected
characters had been so large as to induce fears of organized resistance
and rescue, and on reaching the foot of the hill found it already so
late, that to avoid disturbing the family he resolved to enter his room
directly by the door in the side street. On inserting his key in the
lock it met with some resisting obstacle, which, however, yielded and
apparently dropped on the mat inside. Opening the door and stepping
into the perfectly dark apartment, he trod upon this object, which
proved to be another key. The family must have procured it for their
convenience during his absence, and after locking the door had
carelessly left it in the lock. It was lucky that it had yielded so
readily.

The fire had gone out. He closed the door and lit the gas, and after
taking off his overcoat moved to the door leading into the passage to
listen if anybody was still stirring. To his utter astonishment he
found it locked. What was more remarkable--the key was also INSIDE!
An inexplicable feeling took possession of him. He glanced suddenly
around the room, and then his eye fell upon the bed. Lying there,
stretched