“You always were a wonder!” cried Olivetta admiringly.

“Then you agree to the plan?”

“Of course!”

“And you, Matilda?”

“Of course, ma’am.”

Thus praised and seconded, Mrs. De Peyster resumed some faint shadow of her accustomed dignity.

“Very well, then.  You must both leave here this instant.”

Olivetta threw her arms about her cousin’s neck.

“Good-bye, Caroline,” she quavered.  “You really have no hard feelings against me?”

“No, none.  You must go!” said Mrs. De Peyster.

“I’m sure, with you in charge, it’s all going to come out right!” said the clinging Olivetta hopefully.

“You must really go!” And Mrs. De Peyster pressed her and Matilda toward the door.

But midway to the door the trio halted suddenly.  Coming up the stairway was the sound of hurried feet—­of many pairs of feet.  The footsteps came through the hall.  The trio did not breathe.  The footsteps paused before the sitting-room door.  The confederates gripped each others’ arms.

“Are you sure you saw that person come in here?” they heard a voice ask—­Jack’s voice.

“I’m certain.”  The voice that answered was Mary’s.

“I’ll bet it was a sneak thief,” said a third voice—­Mr. Pyecroft’s.  “To slip into a house at a funeral, or a wedding, when a lot of people are coming and going—­that’s one of their oldest tricks.”  He turned the knob, and finding the door locked, shook it violently.  “Open up, in there!” he called.

The three clung to one another for support.

“Better open up!” called a fourth voice—­Judge Harvey’s.  “For we know you’re in there!”

Breathless, the trembling conspirators clung yet more desperately.

“But how could she get in?” queried the excited voice of Mary.  “I understood that Mrs. De Peyster locked the door before she went away.”

“Skeleton key,” was Mr. Pyecroft’s brief explanation.  “Mrs. De Peyster, we three will watch the door to see she doesn’t get out—­there may have been more than one of her.  You go and telephone for a locksmith and the police.”

“All right,” said Mary.

“It’s—­it’s all over!” breathed Mrs. De Peyster.

“Oh, oh!  What shall we ever do?” wailed Olivetta, collapsing into a chair.

“The police!—­she mustn’t go!” gasped Mrs. De Peyster.  “Open the door, Matilda, quick!” Then in a weak, quavering voice she called to her besiegers:—­

“Wait!”

After which she wilted away into the nearest chair—­which chanced to be directly beneath the awesome, unbending, blue-blue-blooded Mrs. De Peyster of the golden frame, whose proud composure it was beyond things mortal to disturb.

CHAPTER XXII

A FAMILY REUNION

Matilda’s shaking hand unlocked the door.  Jack lunged in, behind him Mr. Pyecroft and Judge Harvey, and behind them Mary.  On Jack’s face was a look of menacing justice.  But at sight of the trembling turnkey the invading party suddenly halted, and Jack’s stern jaw relaxed and almost dropped from its sockets.