y rain. The glass was very dirty, and
young Kerry raised the sash, admitting a draught of damp, cold air into
the room. He craned out, looking about him eagerly.

A rainwater-pipe was within reach of his hand on the right of the window
and, leaning out still farther, young Kerry saw that it passed beside
two other, larger, windows on the floor beneath him. Neither of these
showed any light.

Dizzy heights have no terror for healthy youth. The brackets supporting
the rain-pipe were a sufficient staircase for the agile Dan, a more
slippery prisoner than the famous Baron Trenck; and, discarding his
muffler and his Burberry, he climbed out upon the sill and felt with his
thick-soled boots for the first of these footholds. Clutching the ledge,
he lowered himself and felt for the next.

Then came the moment when he must trust all his weight to the pipe.
Clenching his teeth, he risked it, felt for and found the third angle,
and then, still clutching the pipe, stood for a moment upon the ledge
of the window immediately beneath him. He was curious respecting the
lighted window of the neighbouring house; and, twisting about, he bent,
peering across--and saw a sight which arrested his progress.

The room within was furnished in a way which made him gasp with
astonishment. It was like an Eastern picture, he thought. Her golden
hair dishevelled and her hands alternately clenching and unclenching,
a woman whom he considered to be most wonderfully dressed was pacing
wildly up and down, a look of such horror upon her pale face that Dan's
heart seemed to stop beating for a moment!

Here was real trouble of a sort which appealed to all the chivalry
in the boy's nature. He considered the window, which was glazed with
amber-coloured glass, observed that it was sufficiently open to enable
him to slip the fastening and open it entirely could he but reach it.
And--yes!--there was a rain-pipe!

Climbing down to the yard, he looked quickly about him, ran across, and
climbed up to the lighted window. A moment later he had pushed it widely
open.

He was greeted by a stifled cry, but, cautiously transferring his weight
from the friendly pipe to the ledge, he got astride of it, one foot in
the room. Then, by exercise of a monkey-like agility, he wriggled his
head and shoulders within.

"It's all right," he said softly and reassuringly; "I'm Dan Kerry, son
of Chief Inspector Kerry. Can I be of any assistance?"

Her hands clasped convulsiv