They flung their arms about each other, and thus embraced tottered against the wall; and Mrs.De Peyster relaxed in an unspeakable relief.
[Illustration: MATILDA UNLOCKED THE SERVANTS' DOOR] Home again! Her own home! Odorless of pot-roasts and frying batter-cakes.

The phrase was rather common and sentimental--but, in truth, this was "home, sweet home." And free of that unthinkable Mr.Pyecroft! While Mrs.De Peyster leaned there in the blackness, gathering strength, her mind mounted in sweet expectancy to her suite.

Only a few minutes of soft treading of stairways--certainly they could avoid arousing Jack--and she would be locked in her comfortable rooms.

A cautious bath! Clean clothes! Her own bed! All of the luxuries she had been so long denied! Cautiously they crept through the basement hallway; cautiously crept up the butler's stairs and turned off through the door into the great hall of the first floor; cautiously they crept up to the drawing-room floor and trod ever so softly over woven treasures of the Orient, through the spacious ducal gloom.

One more flight, then peace, security.