“I don’t think he’ll hurt me.” And then, inconsequently, she went off at a tangent: “I saw a tramp at that window two hours ago.”

“A tramp?” said the bewildered girl.

Stella nodded.

“It scared me terribly, until I remembered his eyes. They were Brixan’s eyes, though you’d never guess it, the make-up was so wonderful.”

“Michael? Is he here?” asked the girl eagerly.

“He’s somewhere around. That is your salvation, and there’s another.”

She took down from a shelf a small Browning.

“Did you ever fire a pistol?”

The girl nodded.

“I have to, in one scene,” she said a little awkwardly.