t and were obliged to confess that I got it
from you, and French Pete swore that it was whoever broke into the room
that shot his pal, it might go hard with you, Pinkie--don't you think
so?" She smiled coldly at the man's staring eyes and dropped jaw.
"Good-night, Pinkie; I know you won't make any noise," she said
softly--and suddenly opened the door, and in a flash stepped back into
the hall, and closed and locked the door, and whipped out the key from
the lock.

And inside Pinkie Bonn made no sound.

It was done now. Rhoda Gray drew in her breath in a great choking gasp
of relief. She found herself trembling violently. She found her limbs
were bearing her none too steadily, as she began to grope her way now
along the black hall toward the back door. But it was done now, and--No,
she was not safe away, even yet! Some one was coming in through that
back door just ahead of her; or, at least, she heard voices out there.

She was just at the end of the hall now. There was no time to go back
and risk the front entrance. She darted across the hall to the opposite
side from that of the Pug's room, because on that side the opening of
the door would not necessarily expose her, and crouched down in the
corner. It was black here, perhaps black enough to escape observation.
She listened, her heart beating wildly. The voices outside continued.
Why were they lingering there? Why didn't they do one thing or the
other--either go away, or come in? There wasn't any too much time! The
Pug might be back at any minute now. Perhaps one of those people out
there was the Pug! Perhaps it would be better after all to run back and
go out by the front door, risky as that would be. No, her escape in that
direction now was cut off, too!

She shrank as far back into the corner as she could. The door of the end
room on this side of the hall had opened, and now a man stepped out and
closed the door behind him. Would he see her? She held her breath. No!
It--it was all right. He was walking away from her toward the front
of the hall. And now for a moment it seemed as though she had lost her
senses, as though her brain were playing some mad, wild trick upon her.
Wasn't that the Pug's door before which the man had stopped? Yes, yes!
And he seemed to have a key to it, for he did not knock, and the door
was opening, and now for an instant, just an instant, the light fell
upon the man as he stepped with a quick, lightning-like movement inside,
and she sa