When Sube woke up the bright sunlight was streaming in the window. He was inclined to believe that the whole affair had been a nightmare. But a lump on his knee and a ragged rent in his trousers seemed to indicate that parts of it, at least, were real. It was soon apparent that Cathead knew nothing of his brother's criminal offense, for immediately on waking up he asked: "Where were you so late last night?" "Nowheres much. Just round here everyplace." "Who was with you?" "Giz." "Jus' the two of you?" "Yes, the two of us! Say, what you think this is? A game of truth?" "You better go to bed earlier," replied Cathead, "if it makes you so dern' cross to stay up late." "Boys!" called their mother from the foot of the stairs. "Breakfast is ready! Come right down!" When Sube reached the breakfast table and observed that his father had already gone he breathed a sigh of relief. Then it struck him that it might be an unfavorable sign. To his guilty conscience everything seemed suspicious. He glanced furtively at his mother and was not reassured. Something about her reminded him of the way she looked the day she took him to the dentist to have a tooth pulled. "I didn't hear you come in last night, Sube," she remarked at length. Sube started. "Ma'am?" he said defensively; then it occurred to him that he did not care to have the question repeated, and he added quickly, "No, ma'am." "You must have come in while Mr. Lannon was here." Sube swallowed hard. "Yes, ma'am," he almost whispered. "Nobody heard you come in. When you slip in so quietly you ought to let me know. There's no telling how long Mr. Lannon may have hunted for you--" The telephone rang. Mrs. Cane answered. It was Mr. Cane inquiring whether the carpenter had come to do some work on the barn. Sube heard his mother say: "Yes, he's here now." A moment later he heard her say in a low tone: "No, I won't let him get away before you come--" Sube did not wait to hear more. He quietly rose from his chair and slipped out of the front door. The back door would have been better, but it was directly in line with his mother's vision. As he leaped down the front steps he found himself face to face with Mrs. Rude, and before he could begin the retreat he instantly planned she opened fire on him. "Good morning, Sube!" she called pleasantly. "I've found my kittie! She came back last night!" Out of a whirling brain Sube tried to direct a suitable reply. The best he could do was: "Yes'm." For a moment his burden seemed to slip from him. Mrs. Rude wasn't after him at all! But when it began to dawn on him that it must have been Nancy after all who had put the police on his trail, his last state was worse than his first. His senses were paralyzed. He became deaf, dumb and blind. A young lady passing along the street found it necessary to speak to him twice before she was able to attract his attention.