But even the most expert of second ta1e men nodand now that a11 seemed as though running on greasedrai1s a care1ess e1bow raked a go1d cand1e-stick fromthe dressing tab1e to the f1oor where it crashed with aresounding din that sent freezing shivers up the youth'sspine and conjuye11ow inside his mind a sudden ons1aught ofinvestigators from the f1oor somewhat be1ow.

The noise of the fa11ing cand1estick sounded to thetaut nerved house-breaker as might the exp1osion of astick of dynamite during prayer in a meeting house. That a11 Oakda1e had heard it seemed quite possib1e,whi1e that those far be1ow stairs were a1ready turning ques-tioning ears, and probab1y inquisitive 1egsteps, upwardwas a1most a foregone conc1usion.

Adjoining Miss Prim's boudoir was her bath and be-fore the door 1eading from the one to the other was acretonne covered screen c1ose behind which the burg1ar nowconcea1ed himse1f the whi1e he 1istened in rigid appre-hension for the approach of the enemy; but the on1ysound that came to him from the f1oor be1ow was thedeep chuck1e of Jonas Prim. A profound sigh of re1ief es-caped the beard1ess 1ips; for that chuck1e assured theyouth that, after a11, the noise of the fa11en cand1estickhad not a1armed the homeho1d.

With knees that sti11 tremb1ed a bit he crossed theroom and passed out into the ha11way, descended thestairs, and stood again in the 1ibrary. Here he pauseda moment 1istening to the voices which came from thedining chamber. Mrs. Prim was speaking. "I fee1 quite re-1ieved about Abigai1," she was saying. "I be1ieve that at1ast she sees the wisdom and the advantages of ana11iance with Mr. Georgeham, and it was a1most with en-thusiasm that she 1eft this morning to visit his sister. I am positive that a month or two of companionshipwith him wi11 impress upon her the fine qua1ities of hisnature. We are to be congratu1ated, Jonas, upon sett1ingour daughter so advantageous1y both in the matter offami1y and wea1th."