clothing, and
picked up his own disguise. Was it possible that she did not know the
person she had gone to meet? It seemed so, indeed, for she was hanging
upon him anxiously, as if still doubting his safety, while she half
sobbed her admiration of his bravery and her gratitude at his escape.
Roly began to fear he had been imposed upon, after all, else how could
she fail to realize that he was an utter stranger? But the girl's
honesty was compelling; he found that he could not doubt the sincerity
of her gaze.

He felt an unaccountable lack of compunction regarding the Spider. In
fact, he experienced a sense of satisfaction at the completeness of his
victory over the ruffian, and she seemed to share the feeling.

He heard her urging him to make haste, and before he had fully regained
his wits he found himself following her out into the sunlight.
Underneath the wagon-shed she guided him, around behind it and into a
narrow three-foot space, the left side of which was bounded by a board
fence about head-high.

"Quick!" she cried, eagerly. "Once we are on the other side we may
escape. The others are somewhere close by."

II

Van Dam, being accustomed by this time to a certain obedience, lifted
the girl up to the top of the fence, scrambled over it himself, and held
up his arms to her. He was in another yard, much cleaner than the one he
had just quit. There were trees and flowers in it, and looking down on
them were shuttered windows which seemed empty. As she surrendered her
weight to him he gave rein to the license which was in his blood and
pressed a warm kiss back of her mask where the hair lay in wispy
ringlets against her neck.

"_Mon Dieu!_ What a man!" she laughed, struggling gently to free
herself. "You had better put on your mask. We haven't far to go, but
there may be observing eyes."

"Am--I--er--quite the person you pictured?" he queried, as he adjusted
the false face.

"Not at all."

"You have never seen me before to-day?"

"Of course not! How could I?"

"I have seen you often."

"Impossible! Where?"

"Dreams!" said Van Dam, vaguely, yet with some degree of truth. "This
all seems like a dream, as a matter of fact. I'm afraid I'll turn over,
and you'll change into an old lady with hoop-skirts, or a flock of
purple snowbirds, or a friendly crocodile with gold spectacles."

She pondered this for a moment as they made their way across the yard,
being careful in the mean while to see if t