view of dreary back yards.
These rooms thrilled her. They were her first material evidence that she
was now actually launched upon her great adventure.

Maggie had dinner in her sitting-room with Old Jimmie and Miss
Grierson--and of that dinner, mediocre and sloppy, and chilled by its
transit of twelve stories from the kitchen, Miss Grierson, by way of an
introductory lesson, made an august function, almost diagrammatic in
its educational details. After the dinner, with Miss Grierson's slow and
formal aid, which consisted mainly in passages impressively declaimed
from her private book of decorum, Maggie spent two hours in unpacking
her suitcase and trunk, and repacking her scanty wardrobe in drawers of
the chiffonier and dressing-table; a task which Maggie, left to herself,
could have completed in ten minutes.

Maggie was still at this task in her bedroom when she heard Barney enter
her sitting-room. "He got away," she heard him say in a low voice to Old
Jimmie.

She slipped quickly out of her bedroom and closed the door behind her.
An undefined something had suddenly begun to throb within her.

"Who got away, Barney?" she demanded in a hushed tone.

Her look made Barney think rapidly. He was good at quick thinking, was
Barney. He decided to tell the truth--or part of it.

"Larry Brainard."

"Got away from what?" she pursued.

"The police. They were after him on some charge. And some of his pals
were after him, too. They were out to get him because he had squealed on
Red Hannigan and Jack Rosenfeldt. Both parties were closing in on him
at about the same time. But Larry got a tip somehow, and made his
get-away."

"When did it happen?"

"Must have happened a little time after we all left the Duchess's."

"But--but, Barney--how did you learn it so soon?"

"Just ran into Officer Gavegan over on Broadway and he told me," lied
Barney. He preferred not to tell her that he had been upon the scene
with Little Mick and Lefty Ed; for the third figure which Larry had
descried through the misty shadows had indeed been Barney Palmer. Also
Barney preferred not to tell what further subtle share he had had in the
causes for Larry's flight.

"Do you think he--he made a safe get-away?"

"Safe for a few hours. Gavegan told me they'd have him rounded up by
noon to-morrow." Barney was more conscious of Maggie's interest than was
Maggie herself, and again was desirous of destroying it or diverting it.
"Generally I'm for the