thlessly. "There isn't any time. And once
you are away from here, remember that when Danglar is in the hands of
the police he will take the only chance for revenge he has left, and
give the police all the information he can, so that they will get you
too."

He stumbled pitifully.

"I can't walk much yet." He was striving to speak coolly. "They trussed
me up a bit, you know--but I'll be all right in a little while when I
get the cramps out of my joints and the circulation back. And so, Miss
Gray, won't you please go at once? I'm free now, and I'll manage all
right, and--"

The Sparrow came running back from the door.

"They're comm'!" he said excitedly. "They're comm' from a different way
than we came in. I saw 'em sway up there across the yard for a second
when they showed up under a patch of light from an arc lamp on the other
street. There's three of 'em. We got about a couple of minutes, and--"

"Get those side doors open! Quick! And no noise!"' ordered Rhoda Gray
tersely. And then to the Adventurer: "Try--try and walk! I'll help you."

The Adventurer made a desperate attempt at a few steps. It was miserably
slow. At that rate Danglar would be upon them before they could even
cross the shed itself.

"I can crawl faster," laughed the Adventurer with bitter whimsicality.
"Give me your revolver, Miss Gray, and you two go--and God bless you!"

The Sparrow was opening the side door, but she realized now that even
if they could carry the Adventurer they could not get away in time.
Her mind itself seemed stunned for an instant--and then, in a lightning
flash, inspiration came. She remembered that iron casting, and the
wharf, and the other side of the shed in shadow. It was desperate,
perhaps almost hopeless, but it was the only way that gave the
Adventurer a chance for his life.

She spoke rapidly. The little margin of time they had must be narrowing
perilously.

"Marty, help this gentleman! Crawl to the street, if you have to. The
only thing is that you are not to make the slightest noise, and--"

"What are you going to do?" demanded the Adventurer hoarsely.

"I'm going to take the only chance there is for all of us," she
answered.

She started toward the front door of the shed; but he reached out and
held her back.

"You are going to take the only chance there is for me!" he cried
brokenly. "You're going out there--where they are. Oh, my God! I know!
You love me! I--I was only half conscious, but I am su