nce
the burglar-alarm had been sprung. "I left it downstairs."

"I think you lie," said Garrison. "Get busy, or you'll have trouble."

"It's on his ring, with the key to the door," said Dorothy. "They've
kept me drugged and stupid, but I saw as much as that."

Once more Garrison pushed the black muzzle of the gun against
Theodore's body. The fellow cringed. The sweat stood out on his
forehead. He dropped to his knees and, trembling with fear, fumbled
with the keys.

"To think they'd dare!" said Dorothy, who with difficulty refrained
from sobbing, in her anger, relief, and nervous strain.

Garrison made no reply. He was fairly on edge with anxiety himself, in
the need for haste, aware that every moment was precious, with the
town's constabulary doubtless already on the way to respond to the old
man's alarm. The rights of the case would come too late, with his and
Dorothy's story against the statements of the Robinsons, and he had no
intention of submitting to arrest.

"You're wasting time--do better!" he commanded Theodore, and he nudged
the gun under his ribs. "That's the key, that crooked one--use it,
quick!"

Theodore dared not disobey. The chain fell away, and Dorothy ran
forward, with a sob upon her lips.

"Don't hamper me, dear," said Garrison, watching the Robinsons alertly.
"Just get your hat, and we'll go."

Dorothy ran to a closet, drew forth a hat, and cried that she was ready.

"Throw those keys in the hall!" commanded Garrison, and young Robinson
tossed them out as directed. "Now, then, over in the corner with the
pair of you!"

The helpless Robinsons moved over to the corner of the room. Dorothy
was already in the hall. Garrison was backing out, to lock the door,
when Dorothy ran in again beside him.

"Just a minute!" she said, and, going to the bed, despite Garrison's
impatience, she turned down the pillow and caught up a bunch of faded
roses--his roses--and, blushing in girlish confusion, ran out once
more, and slammed the door, which Garrison locked on her relations.

"Throw the keys under the rug," he said quietly. "We've no time to
lose. The old man rang in an alarm."

Dorothy quickly hid the keys as directed. The face she turned to him
then was blanched with worry.

"What shall we do?" she said, as he led her down the stairs. "In a
little town like this there's no place to go."

"I provided for that," he answered; and, beholding her start as a sound
of loud knocki