In a moment the dim hall light showed on the slender form and the pale face of John Mark standing before them.
Caroline felt the start of Ruth Tolliver.

For her part she was on the verge of collapse, but a strong pressure from the hand of her companion told her that she had an ally in the time of need.
"Tut tut!" Mark was saying, "what's this?
How did Caroline get out of her room--and with you, Ruth ?" "It's idiotic to keep her locked up there all day and all night, in weather like this," said Ruth, with a perfect calm that restored Caroline's courage almost to the normal.

"When I talked to her this evening I made up my mind that I'd take her out for a walk." "Well," replied John Mark, "that might not be so bad.

Let's step inside and talk it over for a moment." They retreated, and he entered and clicked the door behind him.

"The main question is, where do you intend to walk ?" "Just in the street below the house." "Which might not lead you across to the house on the other side ?" "Certainly not! I shall be with her." "But suppose both of you go into that house, and I lose two birds instead of one?
What of that, my clever Ruth ?" She knew at once, by something in his voice rather than his words, that he had managed to learn the tenor of the talk in Caroline's room.