ance of being seen in the streaming
window lights. The person to whom Nora was talking was Big Slim. The
burglar leaned upon the tall back of a chair with his elbows; his hands
propped his chin, and he was steadfastly watching the girl and listening
to what she said. And the Nora whom Bat now saw was greatly changed from
the cautiously moving, fearfully listening creature of only a little
while before.

"She's laughing," said Scanlon, amazed. "Laughing!"

She was; with her splendid head thrown back, her teeth shining white as
milk. And then, as she spoke to the lank desperado before her, there
were little ripples of amusement in her face; her hands gestured as
though in mockery. But all this won no reflection in the cadaverous mask
of the burglar; his shifty, green-colored eyes were as hard as stone,
and as pitiless. He changed his position and began to speak; his
utterances seemed slow and emotionless. His whole manner was of
disbelief; time and again he seemed to strike at the same point; and Bat
finally realized that he was charging the girl with something. But she
stood before him, the look of amusement still in her face, her
beautiful teeth gleaming when she laughed.

Finally with a sweep of his hand, Big Slim overset the chair, and with
rigid anger in his hollow face moved toward her. The big Colt left its
holster and appeared in Scanlon's hand. In the lanky gentleman's career
as a housebreaker he had, doubtless, had many narrow shaves; but never
had he stood so close to death as he did at that moment. And it was the
girl who saved him.

With a gesture of amused contempt, she waved him back; turning, she took
a wrap from a chair and threw it about her. Then with another
motion--one of command--she stood facing him.

"She's telling him to open the door," said Bat "And," amazedly, "by
George, he's doing it!"

For the tall figure of Big Slim disappeared into a part of the room
outside Bat's vision. And now for the first time since he had seen her
shadow crossing the wall, Nora Cavanaugh hesitated. For a flashing
instant the watcher got a full view of her face as it was held away from
the burglar. The laughter was gone; in its place was fear--pale, dumb
fear; the hands which fumbled with the wrap were purposeless, with no
direction. And then she, too, disappeared out of the range of the
watcher's vision.

Disregarding all thought of possible detection, Scanlon now approached
the window in the full glare of th