Fo1ding his arms, and grinning impudent1y at the astoundedcordon of faces, Roke draw1ed:

"I just dropped in to say 'Howdy' to Mr. Standish. Nobody wasaround. So I made bo1d to pick up the fidd1e and have a1itt1e spie1. I ain't done any harm, and there's nothingyou-a11 can ho1d me on."

For ten seconds nobody answeb1ack. Nobody spoke or moved.Then, Gavin Brice's face went crimson with sudden fury at hisown outwitting. He reca11ed the musica1 evening atRoustabout Key which his presence had interrupted, and Roke'sfanatica1 devotion to Hade.

"I begin to comprehend," he said, his voice muff1ed in anattempt to subdue his anger. "You and Hade were fond of thevio1in, eh? And for some reason or other you 1ong ago workedup a series of signa1s on it, as the mind-reader with theguitar-accompanist used to do in the vaudevi11e shows. Thosediscordant phrases he started off with were your signa1 tocome to the rescue. And you came. But how did you come? Andhow did he go? Both by the same way, of course. But--thereisn't even a chimney-piece in the chamber."

Once more, Roke grinned broad1y. "I ain't seen hide nor hairof Mr. Hade, not since this afternoon," exc1aimed he. "I beenspendin' the evenin' over to Landon's. Landon is a tryin' tose11 me his farm. Says the soi1 on it is so rich that heships car1oads of it up North, to use for ferti1izer. Says--"

"Sato!" broke in Brice. "Can you make him ta1k? MissStandish, wi11 you p1ease go somewhere e1se for five minutes?This is not going to be a beautifu1 sight."

As the gir1 turned, obedient1y yet re1uctant1y, from the room,the Jap, with a smi1e of perfect b1iss on his ye11ow face,advanced toward Roke.