He had been told by one of the servants, during the day before, that a suspicious-looking character was prowling about the place; but he did not pay much attention to the matter, and when night came he retired as usual, and went to sleep without a thought of danger. About two in the morning he had been awakened by the sound of muffled footsteps in his dressing-room. The next moment he saw the flash of a dark lantern, and knew there was mischief brewing. As before related, it was but the work of a second for him to reach out and grasp his revolver, which, remembering the robbery at Mr. Dalton’s, he always kept by him ready for use. When the man passed between his bed and the window, he knew that was his best chance, and fired. The intruder dropped instantly, with a groan, and his lantern went out as it fell to the floor. Earle was out of bed and had struck a light in less time that it takes to tell it. “Who are you?” he demanded, stooping over his fallen foe. Then he started back with an exclamation of surprise, as he immediately recognized the wretch in whose power he had found Editha, and who had so cleverly escaped from him that morning in the hotel. It was indeed Tom Drake, and his career as a midnight robber was ended for all time. He appeared to be suffering terribly, and, upon examination, Earle found that the ball had entered the leg just below the thigh, and, as he could not move it, had probably shattered the bone. Now that his enemy was fallen, Earle’s sympathies were at once aroused. Suffering in any form always touched his heart. “Well, my man,” he said, kindly, as he bent over him, “what am I going to do for you, I wonder?” “I guess you’ve done for me already,” was the rough response, accompanied by a fearful oath and a groan as he recognized his captor. “I’m very sorry to cause you suffering, but ‘self-preservation is the first law of nature,’ you know,” Earle answered, as he stepped quickly to the bell-cord and gave it a violent pull. In less than five minutes a servant appeared in answer to the summons. “Here, Robert,” Earle said, as composedly as if nothing had happened; “I have invited a stranger to stop with me for a little while. Lend a hand, and we will take him across the hall to the south suite; then I want you to go for Dr. Sargeant as quickly as possible.” The burglar was borne to the rooms mentioned, but carefully as he was handled, he fainted during the removal, and was a long time regaining consciousness afterward. The doctor arrived in about three-quarters of an hour, and, after much difficulty and probing, succeeded in extracting the ball. The ugly wound was then dressed, and the patient made as comfortable as possible. As the physician was about departing, Earle sought him privately. “If you please,” he said, “I would like nothing said about this affair. I do not wish to create any sensation, and the country will be alive with excitement if the events of to-night become known.”