h me?"

No one spoke, but the three others stood gazing fiercely at the
interloper.

"Now, Rob," continued James Clareborough, "our quarrels can keep. Act
the man. You see how we stand--you know what is at stake for all. Dr
Chester, you are our prisoner again. Now--quick!"

Pistol in hand, he took a step forward, the others following his
example, and Chester sprang towards the fireplace to seize the poker,
while Marion tried to throw herself between him and his enemies.

The efforts of both were in vain. The professor baulked the brave
woman's effort. He swung her lightly towards the window and joined the
others, who, in spite of a brave struggle, easily mastered Chester and
got him down, after they had swayed here and there close by the locked
door.

"Now," said James Clareborough, pistol in hand, as Dennis knelt upon the
prostrate man's chest, Robert and the professor each holding an arm.
"You will lie still, doctor, or you will force me to prescribe. You see
that the situation is critical--Ha! Marion! Come away!"

He pointed his weapon at the window, but Marion did not stir. She had
sprung to it while they were occupied with their prisoner, swung open
the heavy shutters, and the window had yielded silently, leaving the
room open to the street. Then she had reached out, holding on by the
lower bar of the sash, but turned her head to look back.

"Now," she cried wildly, "fire if you dare! Fred Chester! Here. Rob,
help him, for my sake. Ah! keep back, or I shriek for the police."

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

"SAUVE QUI PEUT."

Marion, in her desperation, thoroughly now at bay and fierce in her
reckless determination to save her lover's life, uttered her warning
words to James Clareborough, who had been stealing round the table to
spring at her.

"What's the matter, ma'am?" cried a gruff voice at the area railings,
and Marion turned to see, to her horror, the sturdy figure of a helmeted
constable. "Fight? Pistols? All right." A piercing whistle rang out,
and the man signalled with his arm, while the passers-by began to stop
and collect.

"Curse her! she has done it," cried James Clareborough, savagely, and he
was in the act of taking aim at the trembling woman, when the pistol was
struck up by Robert.

"All right," said the scoundrel, without resenting the act, and
thrusting the pistol into his pocket. "The game's up, gentlemen--sauve
qui peut."

Robert had passed him by this time, cau