ul movement she rose to her feet, crossed quickly to
the window, and sank upon her knees.

"Speak in a whisper," she said; "and speak quickly. You are in great
danger!"

That her first thought was of his safety gave Ford a thrill of shame and
pleasure.

Until now Miss Dosia Dale had been only the chief feature in a newspaper
story; the unknown quantity in a problem. She had meant no more to him
than had the initials on her steamer-trunk. Now, through her beauty,
through the distress in her eyes, through her warm and generous nature
that had disclosed itself with her first words, she became a living,
breathing, lovely, and lovable woman. All of the young man's chivalry
leaped to the call. He had gone back several centuries. In feeling, he
was a knight-errant rescuing beauty in distress from a dungeon cell. To
the girl, he was a reckless young person with a dirty face and eyes
that gave confidence. But, though a knight-errant, Ford was a modern
knight-errant. He wasted no time in explanations or pretty speeches.

"In two minutes," he whispered, "I'll unlock your door. There's a ladder
outside your room to the roof. Once we get to the roof the rest's easy.
Should anything go wrong, I'll come back by this fire-escape. Wait at
the window until you see your door open. Do you understand?"

The girl answered with an eager nod. The color had flown to her cheek.
Her eyes flashed in excitement. A sudden doubt assailed Ford.

"You've no time to put on any more clothes," he commanded.

"I haven't got any!" said the girl.

The knight-errant ran up the fire-escape, pulled himself over the edge
of the roof, and, crossing it, dropped through the trap to the landing
of the kitchen stairs. Here he expended the greater part of the two
minutes he had allowed himself in cautiously opening the door into the
hall. He accomplished this without a sound, and in one step crossed the
hall to the door that held Miss Dale a prisoner.

Slowly he drew back the bolts. Only the spring lock now barred him from
her. With thumb and forefinger he turned the key, pushed the door gently
open, and ran into the room.

At the same instant from behind him, within six feet of him, he heard
the staircase creak. A bomb bursting could not have shaken him more
rudely. He swung on his heel and found, blocking the door, the giant
bulk of Prothero regarding him over the barrel of his pistol.

"Don't move!" said the Jew.

At the sound of his voice the girl ga