Grace never knew what instinct prompted her to enter the dining room by the butler's pantry at the very end of the long hall.

As she pushed the swinging door, she heard David say: "You low blackguard, what do you mean by stealing your aunt's silver ?" Grace started at the mention of the word "aunt." It was, then, the wretched Tom Gray who was robbing his own relative! "Get out!" returned the other coldly, "and attend to your own business.
You are only a kid." "Give up those things you have stolen, or I'll pound you to a jelly!" cried David, making a rush at the burglar, who dodged nimbly.
Then Grace had an inspiration, which assuredly saved David from very disagreeable consequences.

Real burglars, like rattlesnakes, are not likely to be dangerous except when they are disturbed.

It is then that they become dangerous characters.

Grace slipped back into the pantry, swiftly opened one of the linen drawers and drew forth what turned out later to be a breakfast cloth, which was lucky because it was small and easy to manage.
When, in the next instant, she had pushed the door open, what she saw made her blood run cold.