he pain in her shoulder
seemed real enough, but one never could tell. She decided to wait for
the next episode.

"Answer!" cried the spokesman of the two, twisting Kitty's shoulder.
"Where did they take him?"

Awake! Kitty wrenched her shoulder away and swept the bedclothes up to
her chin. She was thoroughly frightened, but her brain was clear.
The spark of self-preservation flew hither and about in search of
expediencies, temporizations. She must come through this somehow with
the vantage on her side. She could not possibly betray that poor young
man, for that would entail the betrayal of Cutty also. She saw but one
avenue, the telephone; and these two men were on the wrong side of the
bed, between her and the door.

"What do you want?" Her throat was so dry she wondered whether the words
were projected far enough for them to hear.

"We want the address of the wounded man you brought into this
apartment."

"They took him to a hospital."

"He was taken away from there."

"He was?"

"Yes, he was. You may not know where, but you will know the address of
the man who tricked us; and that will be sufficient."

"The army surgeon? He was called in by chance. I don't know where he
lives."

"The man in the dress suit."

"He was with the surgeon."

"He came first. Come; we have no time to waste. We don't want to hurt
you, and we hope you will not force us.

"Will you step out of the room while I dress?"

"No. Tell us where the man lives, and you can have the whole apartment
to yourself."

"You speak English very well."

"Enough! Do you want us to bundle you up in the bedclothes and carry you
off? It will not be a pleasant experience for a pretty young woman like
yourself. Something happened to the man you knew as Gregory. Will that
make you understand?"

"You know what abduction means?"

"Your police will not catch us."

"But I might give you the wrong address."

"Try it and see what happens. Young lady, this is a bad affair for a
woman to be mixed up in. Be sensible. We are in a hurry."

"Well, you seem to have acquired at least one American habit!" said a
gruff voice from the bedroom doorway. "Raise your hands quickly, and
don't turn," went on the gruff voice. "If I shoot it will be to kill.
It is a rough game, as you say. That's it; and keep them up. Now, then,
young lady, slip on your kimono. Get up and search these men. I'm in a
hurry, too."

Kitty obeyed, very lovely in her dishevelment. Repu