e's chasing off somewhere thirty miles from
town on a 'false alarm' call to attend a dying man. Sorry I had to use
the blanket; sorry I have to keep your naughty little hands and feet
tied up. But it's the only way. After we're married, you'll forget all
about it in loving me."

So this was the face of the matter. Not the paper she gripped, but
she herself was his object. His abduction of her had nothing to do
with Martinez' affair; he knew nothing of the larger plot; and for
that reason she experienced a degree of relief.

"I'll never marry you, be certain of that," said she, recurring to his
statement. "If anything had been needed to settle that point, what you
have done now would be enough. You shall pay for this atrocious
treatment. Untie my hands."

"Oh, no. We're starting on."

"Your father as well as mine shall know of this."

"I think not, dearie. We're going up into the hills where I've a nice
little cabin fixed up. And we'll stay there awhile. And then when we
come back, you'll not do any talking. On the contrary, you'll be
anxious to marry me--you'll be begging me to marry you. Of course!
People know we're engaged, and they'll know you've been away with me
for two or three days. Do you think they'll listen to any story about
my carrying you off against your will? They'll wink when they hear it.
Yes, you'll be ready to marry me all right, all right, when we come
back to San Mateo."

Janet's blood ran cold at this heartless, black plan to ensnare her
into marriage.

"Ed, you would never do a thing like that," she pleaded. "You're just
trying to scare me with a joke. Be a good fellow and untie my hands
and take me home."

"No joke about this; straight business. I told you you should marry
me----"

"You're drunk or mad!" she burst out, terrified.

"Neither; perfectly calm. But I'm not the fellow to be tossed over at
a whim. I'm holding you to your word, that's all. You'll change your
mind back as it was by to-morrow; you'll be crazy to have me as a
husband then. I won't have to tie your hands and feet to keep you at
my side when we come riding home to go to the minister's. Now we've
had our little talk and understand each other; and it's beginning to
drizzle. Time to start for our little cabin. The less fuss you make,
the pleasanter it will be for both of us."

He set the gears and the car started forward once more. A sensation of
being under the paws of a beast, odious and fetid, savage and
pitil