〃I've read all your books；〃 said Jane。 〃I think they're wonderful。〃
In spite of herself； in spite of a feeling that this young woman was straying from the point； Mrs。 Hignett could not check a slight influx of amiability。 She was an authoress who received a good deal of incense from admirers； but she could always do with a bit more。 Besides； most of the incense came by mail。 Living a quiet and retired life in the country； it was rarely that she got it handed to her face to face。 She melted quite perceptibly。 She did not cease to look like a basilisk； but she began to look like a basilisk who has had a good lunch。
〃My favorite；〃 said Jane； who for a week had been sitting daily in a chair in the drawing…room adjoining the table on which the authoress's plete works were assembled； 〃is 'The Spreading Light。' I do like 'The Spreading Light！'〃
〃It was written some years ago；〃 said Mrs。 Hignett with something approaching cordiality； 〃and I have since revised some of the views I state in it； but I still consider it quite a good text…book。〃
〃Of course； I can see that 'What of the Morrow？' is more profound；〃 said Jane。 〃But I read 'The Spreading Light' first； and of course that makes a difference。〃
〃I can quite see that it would；〃 agreed Mrs。 Hignett。 〃One's first step across the threshold of a new mind； one's first glimpse。。。。〃
〃Yes； it makes you feel。。。。〃
〃Like some watcher of the skies；〃 said Mrs。 Hignett； 〃when a new planet swims into his ken； or like。。。。〃
〃Yes； doesn't it！〃 said Jane。
Eustace； who had been listening to the conversation with every muscle tense； in much the same mental attitude as that of a peaceful citizen in a Wild West saloon who holds himself in readiness to dive under a table directly the shooting begins； began to relax。 What he had shrinkingly anticipated would be the biggest thing since the Dempsey…Carpentier fight seemed to be turning into a pleasant social and literary evening not unlike what he imagined a meeting of old Vassar alumni must be。 For the first time since his mother had e into the room he indulged in the luxury of a deep breath。
〃But what are you doing here？〃 asked Mrs。 Hignett； returning almost reluctantly to the main issue。
Eustace perceived that he had breathed too soon。 In an unobtrusive way he subsided into the bed and softly pulled the sheets over his head； following the excellent tactics of the great Duke of Wellington in his Peninsular campaign。 〃When in doubt；〃 the Duke used to say； 〃retire and dig yourself in。〃
〃I'm nursing dear Eustace；〃 said Jane。
Mrs。 Hignett quivered； and cast an eye on the hump in the bed…clothes which represented dear Eustace。 A cold fear had e upon her。
〃'Dear Eustace'！〃 she repeated mechanically。
〃We're engaged；〃 said Jane。 〃We got engaged this morning。 That's how he sprained his ankle。 When I accepted him； he tried to jump a holly…bush。〃
〃Engaged！ Eustace； is this true？〃
〃Yes；〃 said a muffled voice from the interior of the bed。
〃And poor Eustace is so worried；〃 continued Jane； 〃about the house。〃 She went on quickly。 〃He doesn't want to deprive you of it； because he knows what it means to you。 So he is hopingwe are both hopingthat you will accept it as a present when we are married。 We really shan't want it； you know。 We are going to live in London。 So you will take it； won't youto please us？〃
We all of us； even the greatest of us； have our moments of weakness。 Let us then not express any surprise at the sudden collapse of one of the world's greatest female thinkers。 As the meaning of this speech smote on Mrs。 Horace Hignett's understanding； she sank weeping into a chair。 The ever…present fear that had haunted her had been exorcised。 Windles was hers in perpetuity。 The relief was too great。 She sat in her chair and gulped： and Eustace； greatly encouraged； emerged slowly from the bedclothes like a worm after a thunderstorm。
How long this poignant scene would have lasted； one cannot say。 It is a pity that it was cut short； for I should have liked to dwell upon it。 But at this moment； from the regions downstairs； there suddenly burst upon the silent night such a whirlwind of sound as effectually dissipated the tense emotion in the room。 Somebody had touched off the orchestrion in the drawing…room； and that willing instrument had begun again in the middle of a bar at the point where it had been switched off。 Its wailing lament for the passing of Summer filled the whole house。
〃That's too bad！〃 said Jane； a little annoyed。 〃At this time of night！〃
〃It's the burglars！〃 quavered Mrs。 Hignett。 In the stress of recent events she had pletely forgotten the existence of those enemies of society。 〃They were dancing in the hall when I arrived； and now they're playing the orchestrion！〃
〃Light…hearted chaps！〃 said Eustace； admiring the sang…froid of the criminal world。 〃Full of spirits！〃
〃This won't do；〃 said Jane Hubbard； shaking her head。 〃We can't have this sort of thing。 I'll go and fetch my gun。〃
〃They'll murder you； dear！〃 panted Mrs。 Hignett； clinging to her arm。
Jane Hubbard laughed。
〃Murder me ！〃 she said； amusedly。 〃I'd like to catch them at it！〃
Mrs。 Hignett stood staring at the door as Jane closed it safely behind her。
〃Eustace；〃 she said； solemnly； 〃that is a wonderful girl！〃
〃Yes！ She once killed a pantheror a puma； I forget whichwith a hat…pin！〃 said Eustace with enthusiasm。
〃I could wish you no better wife！〃 said Mrs。 Hignett。
She broke off with a sharp wail。。。。 Out in the passage something like a battery of artillery had roared。
The door opened and Jane Hubbard appeared； slipping a fresh cartridge into the elephant…gun。
〃One of them was popping about outside here；〃 she announced。 〃I took a shot at him； but I'm afraid I missed。 The visibility was bad。 At any rate he went away。〃
In this last statement she was perfectly accurate。 Bream Mortimer； who had been aroused by the orchestrion and who had e out to see what was the matter； had gone away at the rate of fifty miles an hour。 He had been creeping down the passage when he found himself suddenly confronted by a dim figure which； without a word； had attempted to slay him with an enormous gun。 The shot had whistled past his ears and gone singing down the corridor。 This was enough for Bream。 He had returned to his room in three strides； and was now under the bed。 The burglars might take everything in the house and wele； so that they did not molest his privacy。 That was the way Bream looked at it。 And very sensible of him； too； I consider。
〃We'd better go downstairs；〃 said Jane。 〃Bring the candle。 Not you； Eustace； darling。 Don't you stir out of bed！〃
〃I won't；〃 said Eustace obediently。
3
Of all the leisured pursuits； there are few less attractive to the thinking man than sitting in a dark cupboard waiting for a house…party to go to bed： and Sam； who had established himself in the one behind the piano at a quarter to eight； soon began to feel as if he had been there for an eternity。 He could dimly remember a previous existence in which he had not been sitting in his present position； but it seemed so long ago that it was shadowy and unreal to him。 The ordeal of spending the evening in this retreat had not appeared formidable when he had contemplated it that afternoon in the lane： but； now that he was actually undergoing it； it was extraordinary how many disadvantages it had。
Cupboards； as a class； are badly ventilated； and this one seemed to contain no air at all： and the warmth of the night； bined with the cupboard's natural stuffiness； had soon begun to reduce Sam to a condition of pulp。 He seemed to himself to be sagging like an ice…cream in front of a fire。 The darkness； too； weighed upon him。 He was abominably thirsty。 Also he wanted to smoke。 In addition to this； the small of his back tickled； and he more than suspected the cupboard of harboring mice。 Not once nor twice but many hundred times he wished that the ingenious Webster had thought of something simpler。
His was a position which would just have suited one of those Indian mystics who sit perfectly still for twenty years； contemplating the Infinite； but it reduced Sam to an almost imbecile state of boredom。 He tried counting sheep。 He t