Under Cover Part 34

"I don't know," she said helplessly. "But let's stay here. I'm nervous, I think."

"Nonsense," he said cheerily, trying to brace her up. "The moon is a great soother of nerves, and a friendly old chap, too. What is it?" he asked curiously. "You're miles away from here, but I don't think you're in Paris, either. It's your turn to tell me something. Where are you?"

He could not guess that her thoughts were in her home, where her poor, gentle, semi-invalid mother was probably now worrying over the sudden mood of depression which had fallen upon her younger girl. And it would be impossible for him to understand the threat of prison and disgrace which was even now hanging over Amy Cartwright's head.

"I was thinking of my sister," she told him slowly. "Come, let's go."

Before he could unfasten the French windows there was a sound of running feet outside, and Monty's nervous face was seen looking in. Nora, breathless, was hanging on to his arm.

Quickly Denby opened the doors and let the two in, and then shut the doors again. "What is it?" he demanded quickly.

"Don't go out there, Steve," Monty cried, when he could get breath enough to speak.

"Why, what is it?" Ethel Cartwright asked nervously.

"Nora and I went for a walk in the garden, and suddenly two men jumped out on us from behind the paG.o.da. They had almost grabbed us when one man shouted to the other fellow, 'We're wrong,' and Nora screamed and ran like the very devil, and I had to run after her of course."

"It was dreadful," said Nora gasping.

"What's dreadful?" Alice Harrington demanded, coming on the scene followed by her husband. They had been disturbed by Nora's screams.

"Won't someone please explain?" Michael asked anxiously.

"It was frightful," Nora cried.

"Let me tell it," Monty protested.

"You'll get it all wrong," his companion a.s.serted. "I wasn't half as scared as you."

"I was talking to Nora," Monty explained, "and suddenly from the shrubbery--"

"Somebody stepped right out," Nora added.

"One at a time," Michael admonished them, "one at a time, please."

"Why, you see, Monty and I went for a walk in the garden," Nora began--

"And two men jumped out and started for us," Monty broke in.

"Great Scott," Michael cried, indignant that the privacy of his own estate should be invaded, "and here, too!"

"What did you do?" Alice asked eagerly.

"I just screamed and they ran away," Nora told her a little proudly.

"Wasn't it exciting?" she added, drawing a deep breath. "Just like a book!"

"Michael," his wife said, shocked, "they might have been killed."

"What they need is a drink," he said impressively; "I'll ring for some brandy."

"I'd be all right," Monty stated emphatically, "if I could get one long breath."

"You do look a bit shaken, old man," Denby said sympathetically. "What you need is a comforting smoke. You left a pipe on the table in my room.

Take my tobacco and light up."

Monty looked at the pigskin pouch as his friend handed it to him. "Gee!"

he said, regarding it as one might a poisonous reptile, "I don't want that."

"That's all right," Denby said. "I can spare it. And when you're through with it, drop it in the drawer of the writing-table, will you? I always like to make myself one for coffee in the morning. I've smoked enough to-night."

By this time Monty understood what was required of him. He took the pouch respectfully and crossed toward the stairs. "I'll leave it in the drawer," he called out as he ascended the stairs.

Michael had been looking through the gla.s.s doors with a pair of binoculars. "I see nothing," he declared.

"But suppose they come back later, and break in here at night?" Alice cried.

"I shall organize the household servants and place Lambart at their head," he said gravely. "He is an excellent shot. Then there are three able-bodied men here, so that we are prepared."

"I'm sure you needn't take any such elaborate precautions," Denby told him. "No men, after once warning us, would break in here with so many servants. I imagine they were a couple of tramps who were attracted by Miss Rutledge's rings and thought they could make a quick getaway."

"This is a lesson to me to provide myself with a couple of Airedales,"

Michael a.s.serted. "Things are coming to a pretty pa.s.s when one invites one's friends to come down to a week-end party and get robbed. It's worse than a hotel on the Riviera."

"Well, they didn't get anything," Nora cried. "You should have seen me run. I believe I flew, and I do believe I've lost weight!"

"But oughtn't I to go out and see?" Michael asked a little weakly.

"Certainly not," Alice commanded him firmly. "I can imagine nothing more useless than a dead husband."

He took her hand affectionately. "How right you are," he murmured gratefully. "I think, though, I ought to ask the police to keep a sharp watch."

"That's sensible," his wife agreed. "Go and telephone."

"Goodness," Nora cried suddenly, "I haven't any rings on. I must have left them on my dressing-table."

Alice looked alarmed. "And I left all sorts of things on mine. Let's go up together. And you, Ethel, have you left anything valuable about?"

"There's nothing worth taking," the girl answered.

"You look frightened to death, child," Mrs. Harrington exclaimed, as she was pa.s.sing her.

Ethel sat down on the fender seat with a smile of a.s.surance. "Oh, not a bit," she said. "There are three strong men to protect us, remember."

"Yes--two men and Michael," her hostess laughed, pa.s.sing up the stairway out of view.

"The moon is still there, Miss Cartwright," Denby observed quietly.

"Surely you are not tired of moons yet?"

"But those men out there," she protested.