thing he did! Do you suppose even these pretty little women tell US
their whole story? Do you fancy that this St. John in the wilderness is
canonized in his family? Perhaps, when I take the liberty to intrude in
his affairs, as he has in mine, he'd see he isn't. I don't blame you for
being sensitive, Ned. It's natural. When a man lives outside the revised
statutes of his own State he is apt to be awfully fine on points of
etiquette in his own household. As for me, I find it rather comfortable
here. The beds of other people's making strike me as being more
satisfactory than my own. Good-night."
In a few moments he was sleeping the peaceful sleep of that youth which
seemed to be his own dominant quality. Falkner stood for a little space
and watched him, following the boyish lines of his cheek on the pillow,
from the shadow of the light brown lashes under his closed lids to the
lifting of his short upper lip over his white teeth, with his regular
respiration. Only a sharp accenting of the line of nostril and jaw and a
faint depression of the temple betrayed his already tried manhood.
The house had long sunk to repose when Falkner returned to the window,
and remained looking out upon the storm. Suddenly he extinguished the
light, and passing quickly to the bed laid his hand upon the sleeper.
Lee opened his eyes instantly.
"Are you awake?"
"Perfectly."
"Somebody is trying to get into the house!"
"Not HIM, eh?" said Lee gayly.
"No; two men. Mexicans, I think. One looks like Manuel."
"Ah," said Lee, drawing himself up to a sitting posture.
"Well?"
"Don't you see? He believes the women are alone."
"The dog--d--d hound!"
"Speak respectfully of one of my people, if you please, and hand me my
derringer. Light the candle again, and open the door. Let them get in
quietly. They'll come here first. It's HIS room, you understand, and if
there's any money it's here. Anyway, they must pass here to get to the
women's rooms. Leave Manuel to me, and you take care of the other."
"I see."
"Manuel knows the house, and will come first. When he's fairly in the
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