e B-in-a-Box Ranch."

"You can put the li'l' girl on a train. You can't put me on none
less'n you go too," answered his shadow stoutly.

"Then see you don't get drawn into any quarrels while you and Kitty are
away from the house. Stick to the lighted streets. I think I'll speak
to her about not lettin' any strange man talk to her."

"She wouldn't talk to no strange man. She ain't that kind," snorted
Johnnie.

"Keep yore shirt on," advised Clay, smiling. "What I mean is that she
mustn't let herself believe the first story some one pulls on her. I
think she had better not go out unless one of us is with her."

"Suits me."

"I thought that might suit you. Well, stick to main-traveled roads and
don't take any chances. If you get into trouble, yell bloody murder
_poco pronto_."

"And don't you take any, old-timer. That goes double. I'm the
cautious guy in this outfit, not you."

Within twenty-four hours Clay heard some one pounding wildly on the
outer door of the apartment and the voice of the cautious guy imploring
haste.

"Lemme in, Clay. Hurry! Hurry!" he shouted.

Lindsay was at the door in four strides, but he did not need to see the
stricken woe of his friend's face to guess what had occurred. For
Johnnie and Kitty had started together to see a picture play two hours
earlier.

"They done took Kitty--in an auto," he gasped. "Right before my eyes.
Claimed a lady had fainted."

"Who took her?"

"I dunno. Some men. Turned the trick slick, me never liftin' a hand.
Ain't I a heluva man?"

"Hold yore hawsses, son. Don't get excited. Begin at the beginnin'
and tell me all about it," Clay told him quietly.

Already he was kicking off his house slippers and was reaching for his
shoes.

"We was comin' home an' I took Kitty into that Red Star drug-store for
to get her some ice cream. Well, right after that I heerd a man say
how the lady had fainted--"

"What lady?"

"The lady in the machine."

"Were you in the drug-store?"

"No. We'd jes' come out when this here automobile drew up an' a man
jumped out hollerin' the lady had fainted and would I bring a glass o'
water from the drugstore. 'Course I got a jump on me and Kitty she
moved up closeter to the car to he'p if she could. When I got back to
the walk with the water the man was hoppin' into the car. It was
already movin'. He' slammed the door shut and it went up the street
like greased lightnin'."

"Was it a closed car?"