over Janet's head. Her cry was choked
off, but not that of the Mexican girl who had been struck by the
corner of the cloth and who heard her mistress struggling in the arms
of the man who had seized her. The sound of the struggle moved towards
the car and then Juanita, paralyzed by fright, was stunned by a sudden
roar of the exhaust, a grind of gears, and a rush in the darkness. The
automobile had gone, carrying off Janet Hosmer a muffled prisoner.
Juanita regaining use of her legs fled for Doctor Hosmer's unmindful
of the mist against her face.

Janet's sensation had been that of strangulation and terror. In the
thick folds of the blanket, held and lifted by strong arms, all she
could offer in the way of resistance was futile kicks. She had been
jammed into the automobile seat and firmly kept there by an embrace
while the car was being started, which did not relax as the machine
gathered speed. For some minutes this lasted, while she strained
painfully for breath, and then she perceived the car was stopping.

Her terror increased. What now would happen? These men after
overpowering Felipe Martinez had abducted her in their determination
to possess themselves of the paper. Finding it in her hand--for she
still clutched it--what then? Would they kill her?

The car was now completely at rest. The arm was withdrawn from about
her; hands gripped her hands and forced them together; a handkerchief
was tightly knotted about her wrists. Afterwards her ankles were bound
by a strap. Then the blanket was lifted from her form and head and she
gasped in again pure night air.

"Here's a gag," said the man at her side. "Keep quiet and I'll not use
it; if you open your mouth to make a sound, I shall. It's up to you."
And with the hoarse threat she caught the heavy sickening odor of
whiskey on the speaker's breath.

"You, Ed Sorenson! You've dared to do this!" she exclaimed, fear
vanishing in anger.

"Yes, sweetheart," came with a mocking accent.

"Untie me this minute and let me out!"

"Oh, no. You've got the wrong line on this little game. We're going
for a ride, just you and me, as lovers should."

Janet began to think fast.

"How did you know I was in Mr. Martinez' office?" she demanded.

"Because I saw you go in, little one. I was just pulling up at your
door to coax you out when I saw you and the Mexican wench appear. So I
followed along. Saved me the bother of telling you your father had
been hurt in an accident. H