house as long as I live," she announced determinedly.
"Good! But you forget your personal effects. They are in his house."
He was overflowing with happiness.
"They have all gone to the depot and I have the baggage checks. My
ticket and my money are in this purse. You see, we are quite on the
same footing."
"I don't feel sure of my footing," he commented ruefully. "By the way,
I have a fountain pen. Would you mind signing these papers? We'll be
quite sure of our standing at least."
She deliberately spread out the papers on the beam, and, while he
obligingly kept her from falling, signed seven documents in a full,
decisive hand: "Louise Hampton Delancy."
"There! That means that you are to begin suit," she said finally,
handing the pen to him.
[Illustration: "SHE DELIBERATELY SPREAD OUT THE PAPERS
ON THE BEAM."]
"I'll not waste an instant," he said meaningly. "In fact, the suit is
already under way."
"I don't understand you," she said, but she flushed.
"That's what a lawyer says when he goes to court," he explained.
"Oh," she said, thoroughly convinced.
At the end of another hour the two on the beam were looking at each
other with troubled eyes. When he glanced at his watch at six o'clock,
his face was extremely sober. There was a tired, wistful expression in
her eyes.
"Do you think they'll keep us here all night?" she asked plaintively.
"Heaven knows what that scoundrel will do."
"We have the papers signed, at any rate." She sighed, trying to revive
the dying spark of humor.
"And we won't be lonesome," he added, glaring at the dog.
"Did you ever dream that a man could be so despicable?"
"Ah, here comes some one at last," he cried, brightening up.
The figure of Robert Austin appeared in the doorway.
"Oho, you're both up there now, are you?" he snapped. "That's why you
didn't go to the depot, is it? Well, how has the business progressed?"
"She has signed all the papers, if that's what you want to know," said
Crosby tantalizingly.
"That's all the good it will do her. We'll beat you in court, Mr. Crosby,
and we won't leave a dollar for you, my dear sister-in-law," snarled
Austin, his face white with rage.
"And now that we've settled our business, and missed our train, perhaps
you'll call off your confounded dog," said Crosby. Austin's face broke
into a wide grin, and he chuckled aloud. Then he leaned against the
door-post and held his sides.
"What's the joke?" demanded the irate Crosby. Mrs. Delancy clasped
his arm and looked down upon Austin as if he had suddenly gone mad.
"You want to come down, eh?" cackled Austin. "Why don't you come
down? I know you'll pardon my laughter, but I have just remembered
that you may be a horse thief and that I was not going to let you escape.
Mrs. Delancy refuses to speak to me, so I decline to ask her to come
down."
"Do you mean to say you'll keep this lady up here for--" began Crosby
fiercely. Her hand on his arm prevented him from leaping to the floor.
"She may come down when she desires, and so may you, sir," roared
Austin stormily.
"But some one will release us, curse you, and then I'll make you sorry
you ever lived," hissed Crosby. "You are a black-hearted cur, a
cowardly dog--"
"Don't--don't!" whispered the timid woman beside him.
"You are helping your cause beautifully," sneered Austin. "My men
have instructions to stay away from the barn until the marshal comes. I,
myself, expect to feed and bed the horses."
Deliberately he went about the task of feeding the horses. The two on
the beam looked on in helpless silence. Crosby had murder in his heart.
At last the master of the situation started for the door.
"Good-night," he said sarcastically. "Pleasant dreams."
"You brute," cried Crosby, hoarse with anger. A sob came from his
tired companion and Crosby turned to her, his heart full of tenderness
and-- shame, perhaps. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and her
shoulders drooped dejectedly.
"What shall we do?" she moaned. Crosby could frame no answer. He
gently took her hand in his and held it tightly. She made no effort to
withdraw it.
"I'm awfully sorry," he said softly. "Don't cry, little woman. It will all
end right, I know."
Just then Austin reentered the barn. Without a word he strode over and
emptied a pan of raw meat on the floor in front of the dog. Then he
calmly departed, but Crosby could have sworn he heard him chuckle.
The captives looked at each other dumbly for a full minute, one with
wet, wide-open, hurt eyes, the other with consternation. Gradually the
sober

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