s I said before," retorted Donald, "you'll do no such thing."

"Calm yourself," sneered the other. "It would be easy for me to get in
through the window, were it not that one hates to scare the pretty bird;
and as for the key--"

"As for the key," echoed Donald, who happened to have it in his
possession; "well, and what of the key?"

"Why, my boy," glancing toward Don's pocket, "it wouldn't tax a
six-footer like me overmuch to help himself to it; but, under the
circumstances, it might be wiser merely to tell mine host in yonder room
that an irate little manikin has taken it into his head to lock his
sister, as he calls her, in the public parlor, and refuses to let her
out."

"Insolent fellow!" exclaimed Donald, yet restraining his anger as well
as he could. "Look out what you say. Another word like that, and I'll
have you turned out of this place, neck and heels."

"Ha! ha! Pretty good. Well, as I was remarking, I've a word or two to
say to my young lady in there. Hold up! H-o-l-d up! No one is going to
kill her. Perhaps you're not aware I have a right there!"

"You have a right there, I'll admit, as a traveller," said Don; "but
just now, I ask you to stay outside."

"And I ask you to let me in," returned the six-footer, beginning to be
angry.

At any other time, Donald would not have parleyed a moment with the man,
but, as the reader may have surmised, he had reasons of his own for
prolonging the interview. He had planned well and worked quickly to get
Dorry off unobserved; and now that his strategy had succeeded, the next
point was to gain time for her to be far on her way before Eben
Slade--for he it was--should discover that Dorry was not safely locked
in the dingy parlor.

"I ask you to let me in," repeated the long, lank man, softening his
tone, "as one gentleman would ask another. May be I've more right to
talk to her than you have yourself."

"What do you mean, you rascal?"

"Thank you!" sneered Eben. "_Rascal_ is good. Pray, do you know my
name?"

"No, I do not; and I don't want to. It's enough that I recognize you;
and probably the less one knows about you, the better."

"May be so. But the time's gone by for that. My name's Eben Slade. _Now_
do you know why I want to go into that room? No? Well, I'll tell you,"
continued Eben Slade; "it's because I've more right to speak to that
girl than you have. It's because--Hi! hi! not so fast, young man,"
muttered Eben, restraining Donald with considera