Part 42 (1/2)
”Don't be a fool, Karl!” the woman called out. ”The game's up. Take it quietly.”
Once more the shriek rang through the house. Quest rushed to the door of the room from whence it came, tried the handle and found it locked. He ran back a little way and charged it. From inside he could hear a turmoil of voices. White with rage and pa.s.sion, he pushed and kicked madly. There was the sound of a shot from inside, a bullet came through the door within an inch of his head, then the crash of broken crockery and a man's groan.
With a final effort Quest dashed the door in and staggered into the room.
Lenora was standing in the far corner, the front of her dress torn and blood upon her lip. She held a revolver in her hand and was covering a man whose head and hands were bleeding. Around him were the debris of a broken jug.
”Mr. Quest!” she screamed. ”Don't go near him--I've got him covered. I'm all right.”
Quest drew a long breath. The man who stood glaring at him was well-dressed and still young. He was unarmed, however, and Quest secured him in a moment.
”The girl's mad!” he said sullenly. ”No one wanted to do her any harm.”
Hardaway and his men came trooping up the stairs. Quest relinquished his prisoner and went over to Lenora.
”I've been so frightened,” she sobbed. ”They got me in here--they told me that this was the street in which my aunt lived--and they wouldn't let me go. The woman was horrible. And this afternoon this man came. The brute!”
”He hasn't hurt you?” Quest demanded fiercely, as he pa.s.sed his arm around her.
She shook her head.
”He would never have done that,” she murmured. ”I had my hatpin in my gown and I should have killed myself first.”
Quest turned to Hardaway.
”I'll take the young lady away,” he said. ”You know where to find us.”
Hardaway nodded and Quest supported Lenora down the stairs and into the taxi-cab, which was still waiting. She leaned back and he pa.s.sed his arm around her.
”Are you faint?” he asked anxiously, as they drove towards the hotel.
”A little,” she admitted, ”not very. But oh! I am so thankful--so thankful!”
He leaned a little nearer towards her. She looked at him wonderingly.
Suddenly the colour flushed into her cheeks.
”I couldn't have done without you, Lenora,” he whispered, as he kissed her.
Lenora had almost recovered when they reached the hotel. Walking up and down they found the Professor. His face, as he came towards them, was almost pitiful. He scarcely noticed Lenora's deshabille, which was in a measure concealed by the cloak which Quest had thrown around her.
”My friend!” he exclaimed--”Mr. Quest! It is the devil incarnate against whom we fight!”
”What do you mean?” Quest demanded.
The Professor wrung his hands.
”I put him in our James the Second prison,” he declared. ”Why should I think of the secret pa.s.sage? No one has used it for a hundred years. He found it, learnt the trick--”
”You mean,” Quest cried--
”He has escaped!” the Professor broke in. ”Craig has escaped again! They are searching for him high and low, but he has gone!”