that a booted leg thrust across the jamb prevented me. “I am going with you,” said Diccon in a guarded voice. “If you try to prevent me, I will rouse the house.” His head was thrown back in the old way; the old daredevil look was upon his face. “I don’t know why you are going,” he declared, “but there’ll be danger, anyhow.”

“To the best of my belief I am walking into a trap,” I said.

“Then it will shut on two instead of one,” he answered doggedly.

By this he was through the door, and there was no shadow of turning on his dark, determined face. I knew my man, and wasted no more words. Long ago it had grown to seem the thing most in nature that the hour of danger should find us side by side.