There was no more time to continue the conversation, for they were now almost at Grimsby’s house whither Eben was bound.  He asked the driver to pull up and let him out.  The car soon stopped in front of the place, and Eben opened the door and stepped out.

“Thank ye, sir, fer the drive,” he said.

“Oh, that’s all right,” Randall replied.  “And you feel quite sure that my daughter is on Island Lake?”

“I wouldn’t be a bit surprised.  Where else would John take her?”

“It is reasonable and worth looking into, anyway.  And say, there’s a boat out there, isn’t there?”

“Yes, John has a good one.”

“But suppose it’s on the island if I should want it?”

“Oh, jist holler, an’ if he doesn’t know who ye are, he’ll row over fer you.  But most likely John will come back in the mornin’, so he’ll have to bring the boat over.  Ye see, he’ll have to go home to look after the stock.  If ye happen to be around the lake when he’s home, most likely ye’ll be able to git the boat.”

“A good idea,” Randall replied.  He then spoke to the chauffeur, and in another instant the car was away.

Eben stood for a few minutes staring through the darkness down the road.

“I wonder if he’ll go to Island Lake?” he mused.  “If he does, Gabe needn’t go, an’ so he won’t want me.  I’d rather be hidin’ around in the bushes to see the fun.  I’d like to see John an’ Randall in a stand-up fight, I surely would.  But mebbe it’d be better fer John to go back to the island an’ not find his sweetheart.  Say, it ’ud be great to watch him ramp an’ tear around.”

A cry of pain and fright from the house nearby startled him.  Wheeling sharply around, he saw that the front door was open and the form of a woman was falling down the rickety steps.  Surprised beyond measure, Eben hurried forward until he reached the prostrate woman.  She was moaning and sobbing bitterly, and making no effort to rise.

“What’s the matter?” Eben asked, bending over her.  “Are ye hurt?”

“Yes, yes,” the woman wailed.  “He hit me, and kicked me out of the house.”

“Who did?” Eben straightened himself up, while his hands clenched hard.  “Who hit ye?”

“Gabe, of course.  But don’t go in; he might kill you.  He’s in a terrible rage.”

With a bound Eben was through the door and into the house.  The room was a sight to behold.  Chairs and tables were upset, broken dishes were lying on the floor, and several frightened, half-dressed children were huddled in one corner.  In the middle of the room stood the master of the house, his moon-like face red with anger.  He retreated a few steps as Eben appeared.

“Did you do that?” the latter demanded, shaking his right fist menacingly before Grimsby.

“Yes I did,” was the surly reply.  “And it’s none of your d——­ business what I do in my own house.  Get out of this.”