"I am a cautious man," smiled Tiel, as easily as though the incident had not been of life and death importance. "And what did he say to you?" I demanded impatiently. "I spoke to him and asked him what he was doing there." "What did he say to that?" "I gave him no chance to answer--because, if the answer was what I feared, he wouldn't make it. I simply told him he would catch cold if he sat there on the grass, and gave him some details about my own misfortune in getting rheumatism through sleeping in damp sheets." "I see," I said; "you simply tried to bluff him by behaving like an ordinary simple-minded honest clergyman?" Tiel nodded. "It was the only thing to do--unless I had shot him there and then. And there might have been more men for all I knew." "Well," I said, "I can tell you something more about that man. He is patrolling the road at the back at this very moment." Tiel looked grave enough now. "It looks as if the house were being watched," he said rather slowly. "Looks? It _is_ being watched!" He thought for a moment. "Evidently they only suspect so far. They can know nothing, or they wouldn't be content with merely watching. Thank you for telling me. We'll talk about it later." Still cool as a cucumber he re-entered his room, and I returned to my own. What can be done? Nothing! I can only sit and wait and keep myself from worrying by writing. I have made up my fire and my door is locked, so that this manuscript will be in flames before any one can enter, if it comes to the worst. Recalling the words of Tiel a few days ago, I shiver a little to think of what is ahead. Suspicion has _begun_! IV. FRIDAY. This is written under very different circumstances--and in a different place. My last words were written with my eyes shut; these are written with them open, but I shall simply tell what happened as calmly as I can. Let the events speak; I shall make no comment in the meanwhile. On that Friday morning our breakfast was converted into a council of war. We all three discussed the situation gravely and frankly. I felt tempted to say some very bitter words to Tiel, for it seemed to me quite obvious that it was simply his gross mismanagement which had brought us to the edge of this precipice; but I am glad now I refrained. I was at no pains, however, to be over-polite. "There is nothing to be done in the meanwhile, I'm afraid," said he. This coolness seemed to me all very well in its proper season, but not at present. "Yes, there is," I said urgently. "We might get out of this house and look for some other refuge!" He shook his head. "Not by daylight, if it is being watched." "Besides," said Eileen, "this is the day we have been waiting for. We don't want to be far away, do we?"