"It has been ringing all evening, and to no purpose," said Mr. Jarney, impatiently; "answer it." The maid retreated; but in a moment she returned again with the further information that a lady was at the other end of the line, and wanted especially to see Mr. Jarney, as the maid put it. Mr. Jarney begged John to accompany him to the phone room of his residence, and, when the former took down the receiver, he made the following replies to the voice at the other end: "Hello! This is Mr. Jarney!" "Yes; this is he." "Talk louder?" "Talk louder?" "I can't hear yet!" "Who is this?" "Ed-d-Edith?" "God bless us!" "Where are you?" "At Millvale? Good gracious!" "What the deuce are you doing there?" "You were!" "You did?" "Ah, she is safe?" "He is dead! Who is dead?" "Mike Barton?" "Killed! Accident!" "Farmer brought you to Millvale, eh?" "Coming in on the street cars, did you say?" "I'll send Mr. Winthrope in a taxicab for you." "Yes, he is here." "Yes; he came out to direct a search for you." "Wouldn't know where to look for you?" "Never could have found you?" "You wait there till he arrives." "Well; I thought you would be glad." "Do with the body?" "Leave it there, of course." "Yes; he will come at once." "Good bye!" Putting up the receiver to disconnect the phone, Mr. Jarney called up the main office of the taxicab company, and ordered a cab post haste to his residence. Then turning to John, he said: "It is very strange; very strange! Miss Barton's brother was killed in an accident with my machine! Very strange, indeed." John took the answer to the voice at the other end of the phone to mean a peremptory command for him to go; still he thought his services were not now particularly needed to conduct the lost ones home. Mr. Jarney simply wanted him to go and act as their body guard on this momentous night. John would have been glad of the opportunity to thank him for the new trust imposed in him had Mr. Jarney asked him to go; but as he did not make a request for his services, but a command instead, he took it to mean that he was to comply implicitly, as any faithful servant would have complied. When the taxicab arrived, and after John had been admonished repeatedly as to how to proceed, and loaded down with wraps and robes and other things, he made his exit and went upon his mission.