he _portieres_ that shut off an inner
room were thrust quickly aside by a man's hand.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

IN THE TOILS.

Captain Frazier had seen all that had transpired.

He was just about to spring into the apartment and tear the paper from
Jessie Bain's hands, when he saw her fall lifeless by the couch. Quickly
he flung the _portieres_ aside and sprang into the apartment. It was but
the work of a moment to secure the document, and to thrust it in his
vest-pocket. Then, without an instant's loss of time, he caught up the
insensible form of Jessie, throwing a dark, heavy shawl about her, he
shot hurriedly out of the room and down the corridor, making for the
drawing-room, whose long French windows opened on the porch. He had
scarcely crossed the threshold ere he heard the sound of hurrying
footsteps.

"Ha! they heard the sound of her fall," he muttered, dashing open the
window and springing through it with his burden, landing knee-deep in
the white, soft snow-drift.

It took but a moment more to gain the road, and then he well knew the
dark, waving pines would screen him from the sight of any one who might
attempt to pursue him. As he stopped to take breath for a moment, he
glanced back at the mansion, and saw lights moving to and fro in the
upper windows.

Dashing breathlessly onward, he threaded his way up one deserted street
and down another, dodging into hall-ways if he saw a lone pedestrian
quite a distance off, approaching, remaining there until their footsteps
had passed and died away. To add to his annoyance Jessie began to show
signs of returning consciousness.

"This will never do at this crisis of affairs," he cried to himself.

He had come well equipped for the emergency, and drawing a small vial
from an inner pocket, he dashed half of its contents over the shawl
which enveloped the girl's head. Its pungent odors soon quieted Jessie's
struggles.

Hailing a passing coupe, he soon deposited his burden therein, jumping
in himself after giving instructions to the driver to make all possible
haste. They were jostled along the road with lightning-like rapidity,
and half an hour afterward had made the distance, and the cab drew up in
the loneliest part of the wharf.

"Here we are, sir," the driver said, springing down from his box and
opening the door.

The gentleman within did not respond.

"What is the matter with the man?" he muttered, striking a match and
thrusting it into the strange c