CHAPTER XVl.—Continued.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 1350, 12 June 1907, Page 6

CHAPTER XVX.— Continued.

The three of them made their way quickly towards the Patriarch's study. But here a difficulty presented itself. How were they to get the lady over the roof? The difficulty was explained to her in a few hurried whispers and she quickly 1 disposed of it. She had had too much experience in climbing in the American woods to be frightened at a high window.

"But. l would like to get my gun," she said,, with a sudden afterthought. " They shook it out of my hand by the front cloor, and I never go about without it!** Before either of them could stop her. she was aft towards the hall, and groping about on the carpet. "Good God, we have waited too long," whsipered Medhurst hoarsely.

"I must find '

Tom Medhurst was as gentle with women as circumstances permitted, but he clapped his hand over the girl's mouth and smothered her voice. A step outside explained his action, and in a second or two they heard the harsh grating of a rusty key in a little used lock. The door opened, and a man came slowly in. They could just see his figure in the darkness. "Why- is there no light?" he exclaimed aloud ; then he paused listening suspiciously. The next moment he fell on the carpet like a stunned ox from a well-directed blow on the temple, and Medhurst, following this up, lifter} him in his arms, swung him into the room, double locked the door and put the key in his pocket. " By the time he gets over that, a lot of things will have happened,'' he remarked grimly; "and now, miss, you must get another gun, for we haven't a second to- spare." ]

Without waiting for further protest; he hauled the girl through the open door, and ran her down the garden path.