open plains
for us, and a good night the start of them. They will search for me
first, and you'll never be missed until you fail to show up at the
Trocadero. Never mind the clothes; they can be sent after us."

"To-night!" she cried, awakening to the immediate danger, and rising to
her feet. "You urge me to fly with you to-night?--now?"

"Sure, don't be foolish and kick up a row. The horses are here waiting
just around the end of the ravine."

She pressed her hands to her breast, shrinking away from him.

"No! No! I will not go!" she declared, indignantly. "Keep back! Don't
touch me!"

Hawley must have expected the resistance, for with a single movement he
grasped her even as she turned to fly, pinning her arms helplessly to
her side, holding her as in a vice.

"Oh, but you will, my beauty," he growled. "I thought you might act up
and I'm ready. Do you think I am fool enough to leave you here alone to
be pumped dry? It is a big stake I'm playing after, girl, and I am
not going to lose it through the whims of a woman. If you won't go
pleasantly, then you'll go by force. Keep still, you tigress! Do you
want me to choke you?"

She struggled to break loose, twisting and turning, but the effort
was useless. Suddenly he whistled sharply. There was the sound of feet
scrambling down the path, and the frightened woman perceived the dim
outlines of several approaching men. She gave one scream, and Hawley
released his grip on her arms to grasp her throat.

She jerked away, half-stumbling backward over a rock. The revolver,
carried concealed in her dress, was in her hand. Mad with terror,
scarcely knowing what she did, she pulled the trigger. In the flash she
saw one man throw up his hands and go down. The next instant the others
were upon her.

Chapter XXX. In Christie's Room

Keith swept his glance up and down the street without results. Surely,
Hawley and his companion could not have disappeared so suddenly. They
had turned to the right, he was certain as to that, and he pushed
through the crowd of men around the theatre entrance, and hastened to
overtake them. He found nothing to overtake--nowhere along that stretch
of street, illumined by window lights, was there any sign of a man and
woman walking together. He stopped bewildered, staring blindly about,
failing utterly to comprehend this mysterious vanishing. What could it
mean? What had happened? How could they have disappeared so completely
during that