o more important
facts. "When I reached home Kitty was there. They had dropped her in
the Park to make a safe getaway."

"That's good."

"But Tim--when Annie Millikan gave me the address where Jerry Durand
was, the driver of my taxi saw her. The man was 'Slim' Jim."

Muldoon sat up, a serious look on his face. "Man, yuh spilt the beans
that time. How'd you ever come to do it? They'll take it out on
Annie, the dogs." The eyes of the policeman blazed.

"Unless we stand by her."

"Sure, and we'll do that. But how?"

"First we've got to get her away from there to some decent place where
she'll be safe."

Mrs. Muldoon spoke up. "And that's easy. She'll just take our spare
bedroom and welcome."

Tim put an arm caressingly over his mother's shoulders. "Ain't she the
best little sport ever, Mr. Lindsay?" he said proudly.

Clay smiled. "She sure enough grades 'way up."

"It's blarney yuh're both talkin'," snorted Mrs. Muldoon. "Sure the
girrl needs a mother and a home. An' I don't doubt she'll pay her way."

"Then that's settled. Will you see Annie, Tim? Or shall I?"

"We'll both see her. But there's another thing. Will she be safe
here?"

"I'm goin' to have a talk with 'Slim' Jim and try to throw a scare into
him. I'll report to you what he says."

They took a trolley to the lodging-house where Annie lived.

The girl looked pale and tired. Clay guessed she slept little. The
memory of "Slim" Jim's snarling had stood out in the darkness at the
foot of her bed.

"Is this a pinch?" she asked Tim with a pert little tilt to her chin.

"Yuh can call it that, Annie. Mother wants yuh to come and stay with
us."

"And what would I do that for, Mr. Tim Muldoon?" she asked promptly,
the color flushing her cheeks.

"Because you're not safe here. That gang will make yuh pay somehow for
what yuh did."

"And if your mother took me in they'd make her pay. You'd maybe lose
your job."

"I'd find another. I'm thinkin' of quittin' anyhow."

"Say, whadya think I am? I'll not go. I can look out for myself."

"I don't think they'd get Tim," put in Clay. "I'm goin' to see Collins
and have a talk with him."

"You can't salve Jim with soft soap."

"Did I mention soft soap?"

"I heard some one most killed Jerry Durand last night," said Annie
abruptly, staring at Lindsay's bruised face. "Was it you?"

"Yes," said the Arizonan simply.

"Did you get the girl?"

"They dropped her to save them