“Do you think you can get him?”

“I’ve engaged him already.”

“H-m.”  Mark stared at the detective, then burst forth with, “What time did you get up?”

“I didn’t have to get up.  I haven’t gone to bed yet.”

Mark sat down in his chair to think.  After a while he put out his hand to the detective.

“I believe you’ve got it, Saunders.  I’ll do it—­but you’d better get some rest”

“Me for my little trundle bed.”  And Saunders, in high spirits, waved his hand as he went out the door.

Left alone, Mark proceeded to dress, but awaited Father Murray’s return before going down to breakfast.  The time seemed long after breakfast, but at length the priest prepared to leave the hotel.

Mark spoke nonchalantly.  “Oh, Father, I’m going out in the country with some friends, and may not get back till quite late to-night.”

“All right, Mark.  I hope you have a pleasant trip.”

It was so easy that Mark felt a trifle worried.  His device was crude, and the priest had never before been so easily deceived.

It was midnight when a big automobile containing Saunders, his ex-fireman friend and Mark, drew up cautiously on a side street near the Ministry.  The men at first walked quietly past the house.  They saw a light in the apartment occupied by Ruth, but there seemed to be no other light within.  They then walked around the block, passing a policeman at the corner, and entered the alley behind the Ministry on the other side, out of the bluecoat’s sight.  There was no one in the back yard, and Saunders easily effected an entrance into the garage, which was not far from the house.  Taking from his pocket an ordinary hot-water bag, he knocked the lock off the gasoline tank and proceeded to fill the bag with gasoline.  Then he turned to Mark.

“That’s all back here for you.  Leave the rear work to me.  Go around, you two, and get the ladder.  In fifteen minutes I’ll have a fire at the back door.  You’ll probably see the light.  As soon as you hear cries from the house, listen well and you’ll know whether or not the guard has rushed back.  The big door-window on the balcony is always left open so that the guard can command the window of Miss Atheson’s room, and you can easily hear him open and close the inside door.  If he doesn’t leave, the game’s up.  As soon as you are sure he’s gone, throw up the ladder.  If you get Miss Atheson, don’t wait for me.  Rush her to the automobile and back to the hotel.  I’ll take care of myself.  Now go on, and wait for the big noise.”

The three men moved toward the door, but fell back when they saw a dark figure plainly outlined against the dim light behind him.  Saunders said something under his breath.  The ex-fireman turned pale, for he thought it was a policeman.

“The country is beautiful in the autumn, isn’t it, Mark?”

Mark was as embarrassed as any small boy caught in truancy.