a prize fight, Mrs. Boller, and after that met some out-of-town
people in the woolen trade and worked until nearly two this morning
winding up a contract."

"D'ye see?" said Johnson Boller, when his breath came back. "D'ye see?
You had me down for everything that was worst in the world, kid, and now
you hear the truth."

All unaware was Anthony Fry of the sharp start of Hobart Hitchin. All
unaware was he that the crime-student, rousing from his partially scared
state, had smiled suddenly. All unaware, in fact, was Anthony, of the
terrible slip he had just made.

"That is almost all of the story," he said, with a miserable little
smile at Dalton. "The young lady was taken, in an automobile,
half-stupefied, to--a certain town in New Jersey, Dalton. She is
unharmed and has been unharmed; that at least I am able to guarantee
you."

"And she's there now?" Dalton cried.

"She is there now and----"

"What town?"

"That I will not tell you, because it will involve several poor devils
I've hired in connection with this mad affair," said Anthony. "But if
you will permit me, I will go for the young lady myself--stipulating
only that I shall not be followed--and I will return her to your house
before three o'clock this afternoon. After that, Dalton," said Anthony,
drawing himself up, "I'm willing to take my medicine. I know that it's
coming and I'm willing----"

"You'll get it, never fear," snarled Mary's father. "But about Mary!
Tell me the name of this town or----"

"I shall tell you nothing whatever!" Anthony said firmly. "I shall tell
you only that, under the conditions I have named, I will very gladly go
to Jersey and get her."

"You're sure she's there now?" Robert said hoarsely.

"I am absolutely sure," said Anthony, "that she is now in New Jersey
under guard."

And now, with Dalton's murderous impulses stilled at least, with many
things fairly well explained and new minutiae coming into his head every
second should this, that or the other question be asked, just as Anthony
leaned back, two new quantities must needs enter. The first was Hobart
Hitchin. The second was a strong breeze, which always came through the
living-room when Wilkins left open the door and the window of his
pantry.

"Fry," said the crime-student, and if a snake owned a voice it would be
as slithery and oily as the voice of Hobart Hitchin just then, "Fry, you
say that Boller came in several hours after you came in last night?
Didn't I