"Good. And now for the arrangements."

Two twelve-foot ladders were necessary, one for either side of the
wall; but, beyond a short step-ladder, the place possessed none except
the long one by which Godfrey and I had mounted into the tree. Swain
suggested that this might do for one, but I felt that it would better
stay where it was, and sent Hargis over to Yonkers to buy two new
ones, instructing him to bring them back with him.

Then Swain and I reconnoitred the wall, and chose for the crossing a
spot where the glass escarpment seemed a little less formidable than
elsewhere.

"You can step from one ladder to the other," I pointed out, "without
touching the top of the wall. A mere touch would be dangerous in the
dark."

He nodded his agreement, and finally we went back to the house.
Getting there, we found suddenly that we had nothing more to say.
Swain was soon deep in his own thoughts; and, I must confess, that,
after the first excitement, I began to find the affair a little
wearying. Another man's love-affair is usually wearying; and, besides
that, the glimpse which I had caught of Marjorie Vaughan made me think
that she was worthy of a bigger fish than Swain would ever be. He was
right in saying that there were thousands of men who had more to give
her, and who would be eager to give.

I examined Swain, as he sat there staring at nothing, with eyes not
wholly friendly. He was handsome enough, but in a stereotyped way. And
he was only an insignificant clerk, with small prospect of ever being