CHAPTER XXIII

WHILE THE STABLES BURNED

About nine o’clock that night Liddy came into the living-room and reported that one of the housemaids declared she had seen two men slip around the corner of the stable.  Gertrude had been sitting staring in front of her, jumping at every sound.  Now she turned on Liddy pettishly.

“I declare, Liddy,” she said, “you are a bundle of nerves.  What if Eliza did see some men around the stable?  It may have been Warner and Alex.”

“Warner is in the kitchen, miss,” Liddy said with dignity.  “And if you had come through what I have, you would be a bundle of nerves, too.  Miss Rachel, I’d be thankful if you’d give me my month’s wages to-morrow.  I’ll be going to my sister’s.”

“Very well,” I said, to her evident amazement.  “I will make out the check.  Warner can take you down to the noon train.”

Liddy’s face was really funny.

“You’ll have a nice time at your sister’s,” I went on.  “Five children, hasn’t she?”

“That’s it,” Liddy said, suddenly bursting into tears.  “Send me away, after all these years, and your new shawl only half done, and nobody knowin’ how to fix the water for your bath.”

“It’s time I learned to prepare my own bath.”  I was knitting complacently.  But Gertrude got up and put her arms around Liddy’s shaking shoulders.

“You are two big babies,” she said soothingly.  “Neither one of you could get along for an hour without the other.  So stop quarreling and be good.  Liddy, go right up and lay out Aunty’s night things.  She is going to bed early.”

After Liddy had gone I began to think about the men at the stable, and I grew more and more anxious.  Halsey was aimlessly knocking the billiard-balls around in the billiard-room, and I called to him.

“Halsey,” I said when he sauntered in, “is there a policeman in Casanova?”

“Constable,” he said laconically.  “Veteran of the war, one arm; in office to conciliate the G. A. R. element.  Why?”

“Because I am uneasy to-night.”  And I told him what Liddy had said.  “Is there any one you can think of who could be relied on to watch the outside of the house to-night?”

“We might get Sam Bohannon from the club,” he said thoughtfully.  “It wouldn’t be a bad scheme.  He’s a smart darky, and with his mouth shut and his shirt-front covered, you couldn’t see him a yard off in the dark.”

Halsey conferred with Alex, and the result, in an hour, was Sam.  His instructions were simple.  There had been numerous attempts to break into the house; it was the intention, not to drive intruders away, but to capture them.  If Sam saw anything suspicious outside, he was to tap at the east entry, where Alex and Halsey were to alternate in keeping watch through the night.

It was with a comfortable feeling of security that I went to bed that night.  The door between Gertrude’s rooms and mine had been opened, and, with the doors into the hall bolted, we were safe enough.  Although Liddy persisted in her belief that doors would prove no obstacles to our disturbers.