"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 passion, 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 passed 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 passed 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 pit