He broke off abruptly, with his eyes fixed upon the half-open cabinet; moved briskly toward it, peeped in, and then, with a satisfied chuckle, stepped inside, and depositing his organ upon the floor of his hiding-place, drew the door shut, softly and slowly. In another moment the study door opened quickly, and there was a rustle, and the patter of light feet, as Winnie French crossed the room rapidly, and leaned out of the window. "Why, Millie," she said, looking back over her shoulder, "there's no one here." "Perhaps--" began Millie; then, catching her breath sharply, she too leaned over the sill. "Where is your pathetic mute, Millie?" "Well, I never!" declared the girl, still gazing incredulously up and down the street. "He _was_ here." Winnie smiled as she turned from the window. "Some one has imposed upon you, Millie," she said; "and you did a very careless thing when you left such a stranger at an open window." And a certain listener near by added to this exordium a mental amen. "He might have entered--" continued Winnie. "Oh, my!" "And robbed the house." "Bless me; I never thought of that!" "Try and be more thoughtful in future, Millie. Close the window and let us go; ah!" This last exclamation, uttered in a tone of unmistakable annoyance, caused Millie to turn swiftly. Alan Warburton, having entered noiselessly at the door left ajar by Millie's reckless hand, was standing in the centre of the room, his well-bred face expressive of nothing in particular, his eyes slightly smiling. At sight of him, Millie shrank back, but Winnie came forward haughtily. "You are doubtless surprised at seeing me here, sir," she said, with freezing politeness, bent only upon screening Millie and beating an orderly retreat. "I came--in search of Millie; and, being here, had a desire to take a view of Elm street. You will pardon the intrusion, I trust." And she moved toward the door. "Winnie," said Alan gently, "you entered to please yourself, and you are very welcome here. Will you remain just five minutes, to please me?" Winnie frowned visibly, but after a moment's hesitation, said: "I think I may spare you five minutes. You may go, Millie." And Millie, only too thankful to escape thus, went with absurd alacrity. When the door had closed behind her,--for, retreating under Alan's eye, the fluttered damsel _had_ remembered to close the door properly--Winnie stood very erect and silent before her host, and waited. "Winnie," began Alan, consulting his watch as he spoke, "it is now almost three o'clock, and I expect a visitor soon; that is why I asked for only a few moments." "I am not anxious to remain," observed Winnie, glancing carelessly from the timepiece in Alan's hand to a _placque_ on the wall above his head. "But I am most anxious that you should." "Excuse me, Mr. Warburton, but you have such a peculiar way of making yourself agreeable." "Winnie!"