"You are to come at seven for dinner," she supplemented delightedly.
"What a nice place the seventh heaven is!" he cried warmly.
"Sh!" she whispered suddenly, and both stopped stock-still. "There is a man with a lantern at the lower gate. See? Over yonder."
"They're after me, Mrs. Delancy," he whispered. A moment later they were off the road and in the dense shadow of the hedge.
"Is he still in the barn, Mr. Austin?" demanded the man in the buggy.
"I am positive he is. No human being could get away from that dog of mine." Crosby chuckled audibly, and Mrs. Delancy with difficulty suppressed a proud giggle.
"Well, we might as well go up and get him then. Do you think he's a desperate character?"
"I don't know anything about him, Davis. He says he is a lawyer, but his actions were so strange that I thought you'd best look into his case. A night in the jail won't hurt him, and if he can prove that he is what he says he is, let him go to-morrow. On the other hand, he may turn out to be a very important capture."
"Oh, this is rich!" whispered Crosby excitedly. "Austin is certainly doing the job up brown. But wait till he consults Swallow, the infallible; he won't be so positive." For a few minutes the party of men at the gate conversed in low tones, the listeners being able to catch but few of the words uttered.
"Please let go of my arm, Mrs. Delancy," said Crosby suddenly.