VI


Anxious and dejected at the increasing difficulties that confronted him,
he was moving toward the door when a light, buoyant step sounded on the
veranda. In a moment the living-room lights were switched on from the
entry and a woman called out sharply:--

"Stop right where you are or I'll shoot!"

The authoritative voice of the speaker, the quickness with which she had
grasped the situation and leveled her revolver, brought The Hopper to an
abrupt halt in the middle of the room, where he fell with a discordant
crash across the keyboard of a grand piano. He turned, cowering, to
confront a tall, young woman in a long ulster who advanced toward him
slowly, but with every mark of determination upon her face. The Hopper
stared beyond the gun, held in a very steady hand, into a pair of fearless
dark eyes. In all his experiences he had never been cornered by a woman,
and he stood gaping at his captor in astonishment. She was a very pretty
young woman, with cheeks that still had the curve of youth, but with a
chin that spoke for much firmness of character. A fur toque perched a
little to one side gave her a boyish air.

This undoubtedly was Shaver's mother who had caught him prowling in her
house, and all The Hopper's plans for explaining her son's disappearance
and returning him in a manner to win praise and gratitude went glimmering.
There was nothing in the appearance of this Muriel to encourage a hope