arm, fairly flew
back to the kitchen, taking refuge behind Mrs. Carson, with her eyes
wild with fear and her hand on her heart, while Hutton strode after her.

Mrs. Carson wheeled around with her knife in her hand and faced him:

"What do you mean by coming into my house this way, I'd like to know?"
she demanded angrily, putting her arm around Betty.

"I beg your pardon," said Hutton, a poor apology for courtesy slipping
into his manner. "I don't suppose you know it, but that is my wife you
are harboring there, and she ran away from home several months ago! I
have just discovered her whereabouts and have come to take her away!"

Ma straightened up with the air of a queen and a judge, while Betty
stifled a scream and in a small voice full of terror cried: "It isn't
true, Mrs. Carson, it isn't true! Oh, _mother_, don't let him take me!"

Mrs. Carson pushed Betty behind her, the knife still in her other hand,
and answered with dignity:

"You've made a big mistake, Mr. Herbert Hutton; this isn't your wife at
all. I know all about you."

Hutton put on a look of instant suavity.

"Oh, of course, madam, she has told you that, but I'm sorry to have to
tell you that she is not in her right mind. She made her escape from the
insane asylum."

"Oh, rats!" shouted Bob, and vanished out the kitchen door, slamming it
behind him.

Emily, frightened and white, stood just outside, and he nearly knocked
her over in his flight. He pulled her along with him, whispering in her
ear excitedly:

"You beat it down to the fire gong and hit it for all you're worth!
Quick!"

Emily gave him one frightened look and sprang to action. Her little feet
sped down the path to the lot where hung the big fire gong, like two
wild rabbits running for their life, and in a moment more the loud whang
of alarm rang through the little town, arousing the "gang" and greatly
disconcerting Bi, who was craning his neck at the station and watching
the fast-growing speck down the railroad track. That sure was the train
coming already. How had they made it so soon?

But Bob was on his stomach in the road scuttling the ship that was to
have carried away the princess. The chauffeur was fully occupied in the
house, for he had been ordered to follow and be ready to assist in
carrying away an insane person, and he had no thought for his car at
present. It was an ugly job, and one that he didn't like, but he was
getting big pay, and such things had to be done.