path.

Young Robinson reeled as if struck a staggering blow.

"You--you----" he gasped.

Old Robinson recovered his asperity with remarkable promptness.

"How dare you come into this house?" he screamed. "You lying----"

"That's enough of that," said Garrison quietly. "I came for
Dorothy--whom you dared to carry away."

"You--you--you're mistaken," said Theodore, making a most tremendous
effort at calmness, with his face as white as death. "She isn't here."

"Don't lie. Your father has given the facts away," said Garrison. "I
want her--and I want her now."

"Look here," said Theodore, rapidly regaining his rage, "if you think
you can come to my house like this----" He was making a move as if to
slip upstairs--perhaps for a gun.

Garrison pulled his revolver without further parley.

"Stay where you are! Up with your hands! Don't either of you make a
move that I don't order, understand? I said I'd come to take my wife
away."

"For Heaven's sake, don't shoot!" begged old Robinson. "Don't shoot!"

"You fool--do you think I'd bring her here?" said Theodore, trying to
grin, but putting up his hands. "Put away your gun, and act like a man
in his senses, or I'll have you pulled for your pains."

"You've done talking enough--and perhaps _I'll_ have just a word to say
about pulling, later on," said Garrison. "In the meantime, don't you
open your head again, or you'll get yourself into trouble."

He raised his voice and shouted tremendously:

"Dorothy!"

"Jerold!" came a muffled cry, from somewhere above in a room.

He heard her vainly tugging at a door.

"Go up ahead of me, both of you," he commanded, making a gesture with
the gun. "I prefer not to break in the door."

CHAPTER XVII

A RESCUE BY FORCE

Theodore was hesitating, though his father was eager to obey. Garrison
stepped a foot forward and thrust the pistol firmly against the young
man's body, cocking the hammer.

"I'm going--for the love of Heaven, look out!" cried the craven
suddenly, and he backed toward the stairs in haste.

"That's better," said Garrison coldly. "Step lively, please, and don't
attempt the slightest treachery unless you are prepared to pay the
price."

Theodore had no more than started when the door-bell rang--four little
jingles.

"It's mother," said old Robinson, starting for the door.

"Let her remain outside for the present," ordered Garrison. "Get on up
the stairs."

The bell rang again.