BON GRE-MAL GRE 321 



Then, as time passed on, she heard laughter. 

 Piper was laughing. She knew the voices of the 

 two others too w^ell to make a mistake. Such 

 long-continued laughter she had never heard 

 before. Then the laughter ceased and she heard 

 the baihff's voice crying to the others to come on. 

 After this came more laughter and snatches of song. 



Greatly wondering, she waited and watched till, 

 the door of the loose-box bursting open, Andy and 

 Moriarty emerged, supporting a drunken man 

 between them. 



Then she understood, in part. 



Fortunately for her ciuriosity she had not 

 undressed and, catching up a shawl, she wrapped 

 her head in it, left the room and crossed the hall 

 to the sitting-room, where Mr French and Mr 

 Dashwood, who had not yet gone to bed, were 

 sitting smoking. 



" I've found out Moriarty's plan," said Miss 

 Grimshaw. " Come out on the verandah and I'll 

 show you something. But don't make a noise." 



She opened the window on to the verandah and 

 the others followed her. 



The baiHff and his supporters were now on the 

 downhill path to the road, they and their shadows 

 very visible in the moonUght. 



"Look!" said the girl. "He's the middle 

 one." 



" Why, he's drunk! " said Mr Dashwood. 



"Mad drunk," said French. "This is 

 Moriarty's work. Will you look at him, and 



