Part 48 (1/2)

”By the dispensation of an inscrutable, but just Providence, the blackguard's trail is blazed--the trap is sprung and you cannot escape!”

Rutley's eyes snapped fire. He saw that a policy of sneering and bullying persuasion to aid him would fail ignominiously. He must use force. His aspect became black and threatening.

”d.a.m.n you!” he hissed. ”See here, moments are precious. The game too desperate. Beware! You must find a place of concealment for me. The loft has storerooms. Come, and in the darkness of tonight you must aid me to clear from the premises.”

”Never!” she resolutely exclaimed, her eyes ablaze with indignation.

”Soft! Not so loud, my fair partner,” Rutley cautioned. ”You led me into this sc.r.a.pe. You must help me out of it.”

”Let me pa.s.s!” And she motioned for him to stand aside.

He did not move.

”Do you deny me?” she said, sternly.

”Not so fast, my dear. I intend to keep you near me, as a hostage for my escape. No harm shall befall you if you are tractable,” he went on.

”And I again warn you that you must speak guardedly and softly or I shall be compelled to gag you and bind you and carry you to a place of concealment. Oh, I'll see to it that you shall not have the satisfaction of betraying my hiding place.”

”Incarnate monster; dare you imprison me?”

”Only for a few hours, until the dead of night blackens all objects alike--then I shall go forth, leaving a note to announce your hiding place. Do you prefer to be hidden in a trunk, or shall it be among the old rummage in the loft?” Though his manner of address was faultlessly polite, his face was as colorless and impa.s.sive as marble, and his voice low, calculating and cold.

Virginia paled as she took in the meaning of this purpose, and her voice quivered with a note of fear, as drawing her slender form erect in semblance of defiance she said: ”Would you strike down a defenseless girl?”

”I am troubled with no qualms of conscience when dealing with an enemy, be that enemy man, woman or a scorpion. Come! We have wasted too much time already.”

He stepped lightly toward her.

Virginia antic.i.p.ated his move and placed the table between them. Many small articles incident to a lady's toilet were on the table. Rutley perceived that should the table be upset in a scuffle, he could not hope for time to gather up and rearrange the toilet articles, and then the spilt powders and perfumes on the carpet would surely indicate a struggle having occurred in the room.

Virginia was also alert to the importance of the table in the situation. Her fine instinct of the purport of his thoughts quickened her measure of defense. She grasped the edge of the table with both her hands. Rutley saw her purpose, drew back and side-stepped.

Virginia also side-stepped, but kept close to the table and directly opposite him. She realized that the danger of her position was very great.

In the cabin she had been armed and prepared for an extreme emergency.

Now she was without defensive weapons of any kind save her native wit, her courage and the table to which she clung.

Never taking his eyes from her, Rutley stood for a moment, indecisive and silent. Yet his mind was working furiously.

”A woman stands in my way,” he inaudibly muttered with clinched teeth.

”Time is pressing. I will force her into submission!”

The intense strain on his nerves drew a cold dew of perspiration that glistened on his brow. Slowly he drew the revolver from his pocket.

Slowly he raised it and pointed it at her, then hissed, as he glared at her: ”Remove your hands from the table and a.s.sist me to escape.”

Virginia again drew herself erect, her eyes sparkling with defiance and her face aglow with courage.

”I know my death would only add one more crime to your record,” she said, with a faint quiver in her soft voice, and after a slight pause, she went on more steadily: ”But you dare not shoot and your threats are vain.”