Part 27 (1/2)
For a long ti, in the centre of the roo for the shout that was so sure to come--and the shot, perhaps! A prayer formed on her lips and went voicelessly up to God
Suddenly she roused herself from the stupefaction that held her, and threw off the slinky peignoir With feverish haste she snatched up garments from the chair on which she had carefully placed theency that now presented itself A blouse (which she neglected to button), a short skirt of so shoes (which she failed to lace), completed the swift transfor herself that her purse and her own personal jewelry here she had forehandedly placed thelided to the , she jammed the pins into a se She started back, stifling a cry with her hand
A man's head had almost come in contact with her own as she leaned out
A e of the casement, and then a aze
CHAPTER XIV
A FLIGHT, A STONE-CUTTER'S SHED, AND A VOICE OUTSIDE
He saw her standing in the middle of the roole from which he peered into the roorip on the ledge was firm but his foothold on the lattice precarious He felt hith he drew hiun to yield to his weight
An almost inaudible ”Whew!” escaped his lips as he straddled the sill
An instant later he was in the room
”Why have you come up here?” She came swiftly to his side
”Thank the Lord, I made it,” he whispered, breathlessly ”I caht I heard voices--aThey seemed to be quite close to me Don't be alarmed, Miss Cameron I am confident that I can--”
”And now that you are here, trapped as I am, what do you purpose to do?
You cannot escape Go back before it is too late Go--”
”Is Sprouse--where is he?”
”He is somewhere in the house I have heard no sound I was to wait until he--Oh, Mr Barnes, I--I am terrified You will never know the--”
”Trust him,” he said ”He is a marvel We'll be safely out of here in a little while, and then it will all look sio? Good! We ait a few minutes and if he doesn't shoe'll--Why, you are tre like a leaf! Sit down, do! If he doesn't return in a minute or two, I'll take a look about the house myself I don't intend to desert him I know this floor pretty well, and the lower one The stairs are--”
”But the stairway is closed at the bottom by a solid steel curtain It is made to look like a panel in the wall Mr Curtis had it put in to protect hilars You are not to venture outside this rooet out? You said your door was locked”
He sat down on the edge of the bed beside her She was still trehtly
”He had a key I do not knohere he obtained--”
”Skeleton key, such as burglars use By Jove, what a wonderful burglar he would e, Miss Cameron! He will be here soon Then comes the real adventure,--et any flashy old croels I came to take you out of--”
”You--you know about the croels?” she murmured Her body see to me”
”Then you knoho I am?”