“How the devil can I come in without going out?” demanded Mr. Remsen crossly, for confinement was beginning to tell upon his equable disposition. “Simplest thing in the world if you’ll be guided by me.” “Spill it.” “Merely a matter of distracting Friend Murphy’s attention for ten seconds. At the end of the ten seconds you will be seen going up the steps to the front door. Presently you will be seen coming down again, unable to effect an entrance against the watchfulness of the faithful Connor. Do you get me?” “I get you. I’m to be in disguise. But how shall we get the process-server off guard?” “Leave that to me.” The two conspirators elaborated their plan, built it up, revised it, tested it at every point, and pronounced it perfect. “But we’ve forgotten one point,” said Remsen at the end of the discussion. “What’s that?” “Where do I go when I get out?” “Where do you want to go?” “Anywhere out of the world.” Mr. Thomas Harmon submerged himself in thought and came up bearing a pearl of great price. “Keno! I’ve got it. Refuges furnished to order. You’ve never been to my place in the mountains, have you?” “No.” “Boulder Brook on Lake Quam. Plumb in the dead center of nowhere. Thirteen miles from a railroad. Fishing and hunting on the premises.” “Reads like a real-estate man’s prospectus,” observed Remsen. “This year,” pursued Harmon, “I’m keeping open house for a special reason. Two fellows I know are getting married to-morrow. It’s a double wedding. It’s also a double honeymoon. But they aren’t onto that yet.” Harmon’s clear brown eyes twinkled. “One half won’t know how the other half lives till they get there. I’ve loaned the place to both couples for a fortnight. It’s a dead secret. Neither couple knows where the other is going. They’re on oath.” “They won’t thank you when they meet across the dinner-table.” “Oh, it isn’t as bad as that. They’ll be a mile apart. The Lees will be at the cottage. They get off at Meredith and go in on the truck. The Woods I’m sending to the Island. They climb out at Ashland and go over by boat. Unless they all happen to take the same train, one pair won’t even know the other is around until they meet up on the lake or in the woods.” “Sounds like a party.” “Doesn’t it? Want to join?” “What? Butt in on a double bridal tour? Excuse me with thanks.” “No butt in about it. You can go to Laconia, get yourself a car from the garage, and motor to the Bungalow. That’s at the third corner of my little triangular piece of mountain and forest. By the practice of expert woodcraft and dodging you can avoid seeing the others.” “Wouldn’t know them if I did. Any other agreeable surprises about the resort?” “No. Oh, yes. I nearly forgot. There’s a little friend of Gloria Greene’s. Girl. Tired out. Too much gayety or something. Don’t know what it is or who she is, but she’s up against it for a month’s rest. So Miss Greene wished her on Boulder Brook, and welcome.”