have thought it--who'd have thought it--"

He shook his head, and stepped into the telephone booth. Octavius waited
for him.

"I've warned Mrs. Caukins," he said when he came out, "and told her how
things stand; that I'd try to get Poggi, and that I sha'n't be at home
to-night. She says tell Aileen to tell Mrs. Champney she will esteem it
a great favor if she will let her come up to-night; she has one of her
nervous headaches and doesn't want to be alone with the children and
'Lias. You could take her up, couldn't you?"

"I guess she can come, and I'll take her up 'fore supper; I don't want
to be gone after dark," he added with meaning emphasis.

"I understand, Tave; I'm going over to Poggi's now."

The two parted with a hand-clasp that spoke more than any words.

XIII

About four, Octavius drove Aileen up to the Colonel's. He said nothing
to her of the coming crucial night, but Aileen had her thoughts. The
Colonel's absence from home, but not from town, coupled with yesterday's
New York despatch which said that there was no trace of the guilty man
in New York, and affirmed on good authority that the statement that he
had not left the country was true, convinced her that something
unforeseen was expected in the immediate vicinity of Flamsted. But he
would never attempt to come here!--She shivered at the thought.
Octavius, noticing this movement, remarked that he thought there was
going to be a black frost. Aileen maintained that the rising wind and
the want of a moon would keep it off.

Although Octavius was inclined to take exception to the feminine
statement that the moon, or the want of it, had an effect on frost,
nevertheless this apparently innocent remark on Aileen's part recalled
to him the fact that the night was moonless--he wondered if the Colonel
had thought of this--and he hoped with all his soul that it would prove
to be starless as well. "Champney knows the Maine woods--knows 'em from
the Bay to the head of Moosehead as well as an Oldtown Indian, yes and
beyond." So he comforted himself in thought.

Mrs. Caukins met them with effusion.

"I declare, Aileen, I don't know what I should have done if you couldn't
have come up; I'm all of a-tremble now and I've got such a nervous
headache from all I've been through, and all I've got to, that I can't
see straight out of my eyes.--Won't you stop to supper, Tave?"

"I can't to-night, Elvira, I--"

"I'd no business to ask you, I know," she said, inte