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answered so suddenly he might have been waiting such a signal. But during the few moments it had taken me to reach his door I had decided to edit my first alarm. After all I could not be sure Victorine welcomed this stranger in the night
    “Miss Penfold! What is the matter?”
    “Someone made a noise outside my window, sir. I believe that there is a prowler—”
    I did not have time to complete my sentence. He swung around to snatch up a pistol lying on his desk, and brushed past me through the salon and out the observation door. I heard his voice raised in challenge and then what could only be the crack of a shot.
    “Miss Penfold!”
    “Tamaris!”
    Mrs. Deaves’ door had been flung open. As she took astep or two into the corridor I saw Victorine was behind her. So—I had been right to keep my first suspicion to myself. Victorine had not moved that curtain to welcome any lurker in the shadows. Then who—a sneak thief striving to discover if the stateroom was occupied? But for such a one to run such a brazen chance of discovery seemed hardly probable.
    “What is the meaning of this?” Mrs. Deaves clutched the folds of her wrapper tighter across her ample bosom. Her hair cascaded loose over her plump shoulders, showing a metallic, almost artificial, gleam when so freed from its usual elaborate dressing.
    “There was a prowler along the car. I went to see from the dining room who was causing such odd sounds. By that time he had reached Victorine’s window—”
    “A thief!” Victorine showed far more excitement than fear. “But what did he hope to find? My jewels are all in the safe. What could he have been looking for—this prowler?”
    “Perhaps whatever he could find. Anything which could be pawned for money for spirits.” Mrs. Deaves drew her wrapper closer, her voice was distilled disdain. It was plain that she found the adventure sordid and unpleasant “But how careless of him to make enough noise to alert you, Miss Penfold. Doubtless he was drunk. Was he trying to force your window?”
    She peered at me and it seemed that now there was a hint of excitement in both her full eyes and her voice. Did the thought of me as bait for such an intruder please her? It was hard not to make such assumptions concerning Mrs. Deaves after my enforced close companionship with one who made it very plain she did not approve of me, of my reason for being here—though she masked that all so well that only one very used to the nuances of feminine company could detect it.
    And now I was certain myself that the shadow I had seen had had more than theft on his mind.
    “I do not know what he wanted,” I returned evenly. “I came to warn Mr. Sauvage.”
    “So you did.” Mrs. Deaves gave a shiver. “Had you notdone so we might have all been strangled in our beds!” Her tone, the exaggeration of that last, were meant far differently, suggesting that I had created for some purpose of my own, and doubtless a disreputable one, an unseemly uproar.
    Victorine had pushed past her and was crowded close against one of the salon windows, her hands cupped about her eyes to cut out the dim lamplight and see the better what might lie outside. “There was a shot—did we not hear a shot also?”
    “Mr. Sauvage took a pistol with him—”
    “A pistol! Perhaps then he has killed this bandit! He is a good shot, my brother. I have heard this said of him. Yes—there are lanterns—men coming with lanterns! They are running—”
    “Victorine!” Mrs. Deaves hurried forward, setting a hand on the girl’s shoulder to draw her away from the window. “My dear, if you can see out, it is even more certain that they can see in. Come away at once! None of us are dressed in a manner to face strangers, and we must not present a disgraceful spectacle for the vulgarly curious!”
    For the first time I became aware that one member of our party was missing.
    “Where is Amélie?”
    Victorine whirled about. The rebellious pout which had been her