The Atom arose and walked from the room. It was her way of obtaining release when she considered a meal had lasted sufficiently long. "I will not have late hours kept in my house," said Miss Kezia, with a final snap of her lips. When ten o’clock came and went without bringing Denis, Nell began to grow anxious. Half-past ten was Miss Kezia’s hour for going to bed. At twenty-eight minutes past ten she "locked up." She never varied the time by a minute, unless by special arrangement with Herr Schmidt. Listening behind the door of the Stronghold, Nell heard her lock up as usual and retire to bed. She slipped out and down into the hall. From beneath Herr Schmidt’s door there came a thin line of light. She softly unbarred the chains and lifted down the burglar bell; then she stood listening for Denis’s step. Suddenly Herr Schmidt’s door opened. Nell, in the darkness of the hall, gazed expectantly at the big figure outlined against the light of the sitting room. She crept back and hid behind a coat hanging on the stand. The next moment hands fumbled against her throat. "Ur—ur," she gurgled irrepressibly. "Oh, you tickled me!" Herr Schmidt stumbled back. "Himmel!" he gasped. "Ach, what is it?" Nell emerged from the coat. "Oh, hush! Aunt Kezia will hear you. She _mustn’t_ catch me down here." A door opened overhead. A voice called over the balusters. "Is that you, Herr Schmidt?" "Yes, Miss McAlister, it is I. I stumble and make a noise. I beg pardon." "It is granted. Good night, Herr Schmidt." "You’re a brick, Herr Schmidt," said Nell’s pretty voice. "A brick? A good fellow, is it?" She nodded. She stood in the light now, and he looked at her benignly. "You are playing go-hide-and-find?" he suggested. She shook her head. "Hush! I’m waiting for my brother—to let him in. Aunt Kezia never dreams he could be so depraved as to be out after twenty-eight minutes past ten, so she has gone to bed with a serene mind." He looked rather troubled. "Your aunt is a worthy lady." "The horse is a noble animal." He peered at her through his spectacles in ludicrous bewilderment. Nell was half sitting on, half leaning against, the marble slab of the hall table. Her head was tilted back; the light caught the ends of her roughened hair and turned them into gold, and they made a sort of halo round her mischievous face. "Well?" she said. "You’re not shocked, are you? Why, he’s seventeen, Herr Schmidt. And you know if they don’t dine till—say—eight o’clock, he can’t very well be in by half-past ten, now, can he? Isn’t it very rude to rush away as soon as you’ve eaten all you want? I’m sure I’ve seen that it is—in a copy-book or somewhere." "You will, perhaps, do me the great honour of waiting in my room, Fräulein?" he asked, giving up the other question in despair. "I can’t, thanks. I want to hear him come, so that I can stop his knocking, you see." "I will leaf my door open to gif you a little light, hein?"