She listened, motionless as a statue, till he came to the point where the burglar had turned and faced him. Then she moved and had hard work to stifle a moan. "That was a near thing, Angleford!" said Lord Turfleigh, over the edge of his glass; "a deuced near thing! If I'd been you, I should have cried a go, and let the fellow off. Dash it all! a man in your position has no right to risk his life, even for such diamonds as the Angleford." Drake laughed shortly. "I didn't think of the diamonds," he said quietly. "It was a match between me and the man. He missed me and bolted to cover. I followed, and he slipped behind a tree and aimed; but he missed--fortunately for me." "Missed you?" said Lord Wolfer, who had been listening attentively and in silence. "How was that? You must have been very near?" Drake was silent for a moment; then, as if reluctantly, he replied: "There were several persons engaged in the game. One of them was a young lady who is staying at the lodge--the south lodge. She happened to be out, strolling in the garden, and heard the rumpus. And she"--he lit a fresh cigarette--"she sprang on him and struck his arm up!" "No!" exclaimed one of the men. "Dash it all! Angleford, if this isn't the most dramatic, sensational affair I've ever heard of." "Yes?" came in Drake's grave, restrained tones. "Yes, that saved my life." There was a moment's silence, an impressive silence, then he went on: "And did for the man. If he had disposed of me, he could have shot poor Mr. Falconer at the gate and got off. As it was----" He stopped and seemed to consider. "Well, it left me free to collar him at the gate, but not, unfortunately, until he had wounded Falconer." "Poor devil!" muttered Lord Turfleigh. "Hard lines on him, eh, Angleford?" "Yes," said Drake gravely. "Then, as I understand it," said Lord Wolfer, "your life, the salvation of the countess' jewels, and the capture of the burglar are due to this lady?" "That is so," assented Drake quietly. "Who is she? What is her name?" asked several men, in a breath. There was a pause, during which Burden listened breathlessly. "Her name is Lorton," said Drake, very quietly. "She is staying at the south lodge." Burden started and bit her lip. Lorton? Where had she heard---- "Good heavens!" exclaimed Lord Wolfer. "You don't mean that Miss Lorton who was with us?" Drake nodded. "The same," he said gravely. Burden's lips twitched, and her hands gripped the edge of the door frame. There was silence for a moment, then one of the men asked: "And what do you think the fellow will get, Angleford?" "It all depends," replied Drake, after a pause. "If this fellow Falconer should die----Well, it will be murder. If not--and God grant he may not!--it will be burglary simply, and it will mean penal servitude for so many years." "And serve him right, whichever way it goes!" cried one of the men. "Anyway, this young lady, this Miss Lorton, is a brick! Here's her health!"