e waist up. She seemed to
be clad in bright colours, for something red was round her shoulders
and her hair was bound with an orange scarf. She was tall--that he
could tell, tall and slim and very young. Her face was turned seaward,
and she stood for a little scanning the broad channel, shading her eyes
as if to search for something on the extreme horizon. The air was very
quiet and he thought that he could hear her sigh. Then she turned and
re-entered the House, while Heritage by his side began to curse under
his breathe with a shocking fervour.

One of Dickson's troubles had been that he did not believe Dougal's
story, and the sight of the girl removed one doubt. That bright exotic
thing did not belong to the Cruives or to Scotland at all, and that she
should be in the House removed the place from the conventional dwelling
to which the laws against burglary applied.

There was a rustle among the rhododendrons and the fiery face of Dougal
appeared. He lay between the other two, his chin on his hands, and
grunted out his report.

"After they had their dinner Dobson and Lean yokit a horse and went off
to Auchenlochan. I seen them pass the Garple brig, so that's two
accounted for. Has Spittal been round here?"

"Half an hour ago," said Heritage, consulting a wrist watch.

"It was him that keepit me waitin' so long. But he's safe enough now,
for five minutes syne he was splittin' firewood at the back door o' his
hoose.... I've found a ladder, an auld yin in yon lot o' bushes. It'll
help wi' the wall. There! I've gotten my breath again and we can
start."

The ladder was fetched by Heritage and proved to be ancient and wanting
many rungs, but sufficient in length. The three stood silent for a
moment, listening like stags, and then ran across the intervening lawn
to the foot of the verandah wall. Dougal went up first, then Heritage,
and lastly Dickson, stiff and giddy from his long lie under the bushes.
Below the parapet the verandah floor was heaped with old garden litter,
rotten matting, dead or derelict bulbs, fibre, withies, and strawberry
nets. It was Dougal's intention to pull up the ladder and hide it
among the rubbish against the hour of departure. But Dickson had
barely put his foot on the parapet when there was a sound of steps
within the House approaching the verandah door.

The ladder was left alone. Dougal's hand brought Dickson summarily to
the floor, where he was fairly well concealed by