usly. I had no intention of
eavesdropping, but I wanted to be certain that it was Jack Bailey she
was meeting. Too many things had occurred in which Gertrude was, or
appeared to be, involved, to allow anything to be left in question.

I went slowly across the lawn, skirted the hedge to a break not far
from the lodge, and found myself on the open road. Perhaps a hundred
feet to the left the path led across the valley to the Country Club,
and only a little way off was the foot-bridge over Casanova Creek. But
just as I was about to turn down the path I heard steps coming toward
me, and I shrank into the bushes. It was Gertrude, going back quickly
toward the house.

I was surprised. I waited until she had had time to get almost to the
house before I started. And then I stepped back again into the
shadows. The reason why Gertrude had not kept her tryst was evident.
Leaning on the parapet of the bridge in the moonlight, and smoking a
pipe, was Alex, the gardener. I could have throttled Liddy for her
carelessness in reading the torn note where he could hear. And I could
cheerfully have choked Alex to death for his audacity.

But there was no help for it: I turned and followed Gertrude slowly
back to the house.

The frequent invasions of the house had effectually prevented any
relaxation after dusk. We had redoubled our vigilance as to bolts and
window-locks but, as Mr. Jamieson had suggested, we allowed the door at
the east entry to remain as before, locked by the Yale lock only. To
provide only one possible entrance for the invader, and to keep a
constant guard in the dark at the foot of the circular staircase,
seemed to be the only method.

In the absence of the detective, Alex and Halsey arranged to change
off, Halsey to be on duty from ten to two, and Alex from two until six.
Each man was armed, and, as an additional precaution, the one off duty
slept in a room near the head of the circular staircase and kept his
door open, to be ready for emergency.

These arrangements were carefully kept from the servants, who were only
commencing to sleep at night, and who retired, one and all, with barred
doors and lamps that burned full until morning.

The house was quiet again Wednesday night. It was almost a week since
Louise had encountered some one on the stairs, and it was four days
since the discovery of the hole in the trunk-room wall.

Arnold Armstrong and his father rested side by side in the Casanova
c