All evening a trace of it had hung in the air; from the brush fire.

And, in any case, this whiff was too slight to have emanated from the house or from any spot near the house.

Yet, taken together with Lady's cry of fear-- Lad crossed to the front door, and scratched imperiously at it.

The locked door did not yield to his push.

Too sensible to keep on at a portal he could not open, he ran upstairs, to the closed door of the Master's room.