room ajar, and a ray of light from his lamp fell across
the dark carpet and dimly illuminated the room. The hours passed
slowly. No one in the house was astir. No sound came from the outside
save the dismal barking of a dog down the road. She was fatigued and
almost asleep, when she was suddenly roused by a far-off shout.

"Whoopee! Whoopee!"

It seemed to come from the road leading down from the loftiest mountain
peak. She held her breath and listened.

"Whoopee! Whoopee!" It was nearer. Then she heard the steady tramp
of horses' hoofs. She rose and went to the window, moving softly, that
her ear might not lose any of the sounds. She raised the window
cautiously and looked out. The moon was shining brightly, and down the
street beyond the livery-stable she saw a body of horsemen.

"Great Heavens!" she exclaimed; "it's the 'Whitecaps'!"

She drew back behind the curtains as the horsemen rode up to the hotel
and stopped. There were twenty or more, and each wore a white cap, a
white mask, and a white sheet over the body.

"Thar's whar the scrimmage tuck place," explained some one in a muffled
voice, and a white figure pointed to the spot where Westerfelt and
Wambush had fought. "We must hurry an' take 'im out, an' have it over."

Harriet Floyd heard some one breathing behind her. It was Westerfelt.
His elbow touched her as he leaned towards the window and peered out.
"Oh, it's you!" she cried. "Go back to bed, you--"

He did not seem to hear her. The moonlight fell on his face. It was
ghastly pale. He suddenly drew back beside her to keep from being
observed by the men outside. His lips moved, but they made no sound.

"Go back to bed," she repeated. She put out her hand and touched him,
but she did not look at him, being unable to resist the fascination of
the sight in the street.

"What do they want?" he whispered. He put his hand on an old-fashioned
what-not behind him, and the shells and ornaments on it began to rattle.

"I don't know," she said; "don't let 'em see you; you couldn't do
anything against so many. They are a band sworn to protect one
another."

"His friends?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Ah, I see." He glanced at the two doors, one opening into the hall,
the other into his room, and then he swayed and clutched the curtain.

She caught his arm and braced him up. "Oh, you _must_ go lie down;
you'll--"

A noise outside drew her back to the window. The band was crossing the