dow-panes. Jennie and
Nancy both ran to the window, drew aside the heavy curtain and raised
the shade.

Only a little light filtered in. But it was sufficient to show them a
pale face flattened against the glass.

The face suddenly grinned widely. Then a hand waved. They saw his red
hair under his cap, and the two girls clung together with a cry of
delight.

Scorch O'Brien was "on the job."

CHAPTER XXIX

ALL ABOUT NANCY

The red-haired youth drew himself up to the window-sill (he had climbed
a rickety arbor below) and motioned to the girls to unlock the sashes.
They did so and Scorch forced up the lower one.

"Hist!" he whispered, in a tone so hoarse that it almost choked him.
"Where is he?"

"We don't know," said Jennie, hastily. "He's locked us into this room."

"Of course he would," said Scorch, airily. "Don't they always do that?
It's the gray man; isn't it?"

"Yes, yes!" said Nancy. "Senator Montgomery."

"That's the man. I got onto his name lately. And I seen him again, too.
Now he'll keep you from Mr. Gordon."

"Is he hurt very badly?" asked Nancy, anxiously.

"You bet he is!"

"Oh, Scorch!"

"But you're goin' to have a chance to talk with him first. He'll see
you, too. He told me so only last evening. I was with him all night.
Then I ran home for breakfast and found your telegram. Then I beat it
for the station. But you'd got away before I got there."

"Senator Montgomery came down on the train with us," explained Nancy.
"And he said he was coming right to Garvan's Hotel to see Mr.
Gordon----This is not the hotel; is it, Scorch?"

"I should say not!" returned the boy. "He fooled you. I asked among the
cabmen at the station, and they all saw you and the gray man. So I
knowed there was trouble afoot.

"He took you around the corner, and there a milkman saw you all getting
into the taxi. So I grabs another taxi--I had money belongin' to Old--to
Mr. Gordon--in my pocket.

"That taxi-driver was a keen one, he was. He trailed your machine like
he was trackin' a band of Injuns. Cops saw you pass, and switchmen at
the trolley crossin's.

"So we got here just as the taxi was whiskin' his nibs away----"

"Then he's not in the house?"

"I knew he wasn't when I asked," said Scorch, calmly. "He's beat it for
Garvan's. That's where we'll go, too."

"Oh, Scorch!" cried Jennie. "You're wonderful. How you going to get us
out?"

"Not by the window, I hope," murmured Nancy.

"Of course